Sake Beneath the Moon
by youkomazuki
Summary: The plains of gray before my eyes...that was my view of the world. Everything to me are nothing but mere toys. Toys that once lost their entertainments I would destroy. Today's toy...yes, that boy would do. Nurarihyon's grandson, Nura Rikuo. RikuoXOC
1. World of White

_The ashen world._

_Yes. That was how the world was before my eyes._

_Trapped within the endless stream of time, I stared with blank gaze as the world repeats before me._

**_I was bored._**

"You have no where to run now! Why not you just surrender and come quietly with us?"

"Run? Aren't we misunderstanding something here?"

_Bored of living._

_Bored of my life._

"**AAAAAAAAH!"**

_Everything within this world was nothing to me but toys._

"Weaklings shouldn't bare fangs. Otherwise…"

_I raised my blood stained hand before my lips. My tongue stuck out, gliding over my fingertips as I tasted the disgusting fluid that smells of rusted copper. With a flick of my arm, the blood that coated my skin splattered against the bark of the tree that stood beside me. My smile was as wide as the crescent moon hung over my head._

"…You'll get bitten."

_I wanted to perish._

_To disappear from this world of nothingness._

_To erase my very existent from this field of white._

_That was what I had thought…until I met that man._

_A mysterious man whom sparked my interest, an emotion I felt for the very first time of my life._

_The man whom I met 10 years ago…_

"Ho~ That's **_the_** famous grandson of Nurarihyon, son of Nura Rihan?" I mumbled as I sat upon the roof of a human's school, staring down to the field of student.

My eyes were glued onto on particular boy within the crowd. A boy with brown hair with rounded glasses. Since the moment I've entered this school area, that boy has been emitting a strange aura unlike any other humans.

"He seems different from the picture somehow." I mumbled.

I pulled out the photograph once again and gave it a good long stare. In the photograph stood a taller boy…seemly taller than the kid down there. And an extreme difference in appearance as well. Unlike the boy whom held a soft expression, the one within the photo gives out a more dangerous feel. He has long white and black hair flowing down his head with piercing crimson eyes. Shrugging slightly, I crumbled the photo within my hand before tossing it aside. I slowly shifted my gaze back to the boy…before my eyes began darting around the area. There were 2 youkai by his side…and some further away.

Most likely bodyguards.

"There's no mistake."

A smirk rose upon my lips as I slowly climbed onto my feet and smoothed the wrinkles off my dress. Giving one last glance to the boy, the white wings upon my back spread out widely. Then with one powerful flap, my body was thrown into the air as I vanished within the sea of clouds.

_Yes…that was the beginning._

_The beginning of the 8 years of hide-and-seek._

"You want to join the Hyakki Yakou...was it?"

The youkai who was brushing the leaves at the front gate of the Nurarihyon's manor spoke as I nodded in reply. The expression of shock and suspiciousness were written all over her face – but who wouldn't? After all, when someone dressed in layers of heavy coat with a wool hat over the head, a pair of sunglasses and scarf covering the face in the middle of summer, suspicion is a given.

"Tsurara, what's wrong?"

A husky voice spoke as two other youkai walked through the front gate. "Kubinasih! Kurotabo! Actually…." "Who's the fat guy here?" The largest youkai whom I assumed was Kurotabo considering the names, questioned with a glare. I said nothing. Dismissing the trio's existence, I walked past them and went straight through the gate.

"Hey! You can't go in like this!"

The girl shouted, but I ignored her and just did as I please. Upon my entrance, the other youkai all stopped what they were doing and glanced towards my direction. "Excuse me. But you cannot do as you like here. May I ask who you are and what is your purpose here?" This man in priest clothes said as he came over to me. Again, I gave no reply.

I had no obligation to answer him, or any of them.

"Hey are you listening?"

The girl called again as the youkai began to gather around me. "Guys, what's wrong?" A voice then called as I slowly turned to see the boy…Nurarihyon's grandson, coming towards us. "Rikuo-sama!" The neck-less youkai greeted as the girl – Tsurara I believed was her name – rushed to the boy's side. "Rikuo-sama don't go near him! He's an intruder!" She cried, holding the human boy back. "Eh?" The boy gasped as I smirked.

"Excuse me for intruding. I can assure you that I am not as suspicious as I may seem." I said before pulling off a layer of my coat.

"You must be Rikuo-sama." I greeted as I took off my wool hat, freeing my snow-white hair as they rolled down my back. I then tore the scarf off my neck before my sunglasses, revealing my face to them.

"Tsurara-san was it? Before you report your information to your leader, please get the detail right. I am not a guy."

I said almost in a mocking tone before I began to shed the layers of clothes off my body. "Nor do I consider myself fat. It's just that if a girl walks down the street with silver eyes, white hair…" I pulled off the last layer of coat, revealing the lavender dress I wore beneath.

"...and white wings, anyone would think–" I said before spreading my wings and fluttering them slightly, finally feeling relieved from the weight. "–that I am a cosplay freak, would they not?"

The group just stared upon me, speechless. Dazzled looks were written over their faces. I felt no surprise for that it was a reaction I was accustomed to to. My silver eyes slowly shifted to Nurarihyon's grandson before I did a low bow.

"I am a Doji*, name is Miu*. It is a pleasure to meet you, Nurarihyon Rikuo-sama."

I said with a smirk.

_Yes, he will be my new toy._

_A perfect toy that I could kill time with and at the same time providing me with a safe place to stay._

_It was like hitting two birds with one stone._

_And when I lost my interest…_

**_I'll kill him._**

"Go out? With you?"

I asked, leaning against the tree with a smirk as I stared down at the pathetic excuse of youkai kneeling before me. "I-I really like you!" The…who-cares-what-his-name-was-again, begged. "Sure." I smirked as the youkai suddenly looked up at me with a joyful look across his face.

"However there is a condition."

I immediately began as I fold my arms over my chest. I stared at those cat ears, then at his tail before examining his other features. "…You're a Gotokuneko* aren't you?" I said with a smirk upon my lips and my eyes gleaming in amusement. "Bring me 20 freshly roasted cat corpses." I spoke coldly as Gotokuneko flinched; his ears flatten down almost in fear. "What's wrong?" I asked, smirking wider as I leaned down. I slipped my finger beneath his chin and with a push; I pulled his head up so that our eyes could meet.

"You like me don't you? So your love doesn't even worth 20 little cat corpses, **scaredy-cat**?"

I asked with a chuckle, finding amusement within those wavering eyes and trembling lips that were struggle to find something to say. Before I could push it even further, a hand suddenly shot into my sight and grabbed me by the wrist. With a jerk, I was pulled back a couple of steps until I felt my back slamming against someone's chest. As though freed from my spell, the Gotokuneko seemed to regained his senses as he quickly turned tail and ran away.

At that, I narrowed my eyes in frustration before turning slightly to Rikuo who stood behind me. He was in his Night form. "What are you doing?" Rikuo questioned coldly, his crimson eyes almost glaring at me. "Does being in the Hyakki Yakou mean reporting what we do during our private time?" I questioned back before feeling the grip over my wrist tightening. "There have been strange incidents happening lately. You were behind those as well, weren't you?" He said as I glanced up at him before another smirk slid across my face. "So the boss knows. Then why bother asking?" I mumbled softly, but loud enough for him to hear.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Why? Do you always need a reason behind your actions, Rikuo-sama?"

I said with a soft chuckle. "But if I must give a reason…then I suppose…yes, I suppose the word _boredom_ would do." Upon my word, I saw Rikuo's eyes narrowed almost in disgusted shock. "Please understand that I happen to be innocent, Rikuo-sama. They said they love me, so I merely gave them the condition. That is all. I have not laid a feathers on a single soul within your territory." I told him before tugging my wrist away from his grasp.

"Now then, Rikuo-sama…I will be excusing myself. Good night."

I waved at him before turning around and began to walk away. However, I wasn't able to get far when I felt that larger hand seizing my wrist once more. Then with a harsh tug, I fell backward; my back collided against the tree stump. "What–" I couldn't finish my sentence for that when I glanced up; I found a sake bottle right in my face.

"…What, may I ask, is this?" I asked softly, almost glaring at the bottle before my eyes.

"Sake." Rikuo replied before I watched him taking a seat next to me.

"I can see. What I meant was why are you holding a bottle of sake towards me, Rikuo-sama?" I asked, trying to regain my composer. However, Rikuo said nothing as I watched him pouring out the sake into a cup. "…I don't know what this is about, Rikuo-sama. If you are looking for someone to drink with you, you found the wrong youkai." I told him as I stood up and dusted my dress.

"It's a full moon tonight."

Rikuo spoke just when I was about to turn to leave. At that, I stopped as my glaze slowly trailed up to the sky for the first time of the night. He was right, tonight really was a full moon. "If you are bored, why not drink with me?" At that, I slowly glanced back at him, my eyes narrowed in suspicion. Why was he suddenly asking me to drink with him? Perhaps that bottle of sake was…

"I didn't poison it."

Rikuo said with a soft smile, almost as though reading my mind. At that, I quickly smiled at him. "Of course I know." I replied almost naturally. Although I was still suspicious at his sudden invitation, I decided to play along. Otherwise, my cover may really get blown. Taking a couple steps back, I slowly sat down and folded my wings so that the tree stump wouldn't scratch them. Seeing Rikuo holding a cup towards me, I slowly took it out of his hand before staring down upon it. I could see it…the reflection of the moon perfectly imprinted over the surface of the sake. I stared upon it for a moment before sneaking a glance at Rikuo who silently drank. I then slowly looked back to my cup of sake before raising it to my lips.

I then took a small sip.

"…It tastes disgusting."

I mumbled, feeling my tongue burning upon the touch of the liquid. I let it swirl around my tongue, tasting it a bit more. After I was sure nothing strange was mixed inside, I swallowed. "You've never drank sake before?" Rikuo asked, sounding slightly amused by my behavior. However, I just ignored him before brushing my lips against the edge of the cup and took another sip. I felt my throat burn. It was disgusting. I didn't like it at all…yet for some reason; I felt my thirst and desire mysteriously growing…

_Since that night, I've stopped toying around with the other youkai's and ayakashi's feelings._

_It wasn't because I was told to, but simply because I suddenly lost of enjoyment from tormenting them. The memories of that night haunted me. No matter how I spilled my thoughts into it, I couldn't find any answer. When I was drinking with him, there was an unfamiliar feeling flowing within me. A strange and mysterious feeling that I did not know what it was. The usual fast beating of my heart slowed for the first time that night. The usual restless me…was actually able to sit still. What was that feeling called–…perhaps…**calm**?_

_Yes, that was the word._

_Calm._

_For the first time, I felt at ease._

_It was an indescribable pleasure. A pleasure far beyond tormenting any youkai and ayakashi. Hundred times more delightful than dipping my arms within the pool of crimson. I was so drunk upon the new emotion that I had let my defense fall despite the fact that my enemy was sitting by my side._

_After that, Rikuo would seek me out every night, making me his drinking companion. I always detested doing favors for others. Even more when being ordered, constricted and used. I knew that Rikuo was only inviting me in order to prevent me from causing trouble within his territory. Under normal circumstances I would have rejected without a second thought. But I didn't turn him down. I wanted to feel more of the strange yet enjoyable emotion despite going against my moral._

_Every proposal I got since, I quietly turned them away._

_I didn't know why or when, but eventually, I became bored in mocking and bullying the members of the Hyakki Yakou. Everyday, I would sit on a tree and bath my pale skin beneath the torching sun. My silver eyes locked to the sky as I waited for the night. Until one day, I woke from my nap to the layers of cloud swirling above my head. I then saw him. Rikuo – in his human form – sleeping soundlessly within the garden, worn out from his training. The other youkai in the manor were strangely nowhere to be seen._

_It was a chilly autumn morning with wind howling from the north._

_I did not bother at first and just went on waiting for the night as usual. However, no matter what I did, my thought kept drifting back to the sleeping boy lying upon the grass. I was disturbed. I was pissed at him for distracting my attention. With a flap of my wings, I flew into the air before landing soundlessly beside him._

_The poor kid didn't even sense my presence._

_He was completely defenseless._

_His bodyguards are nowhere to be seen._

_I reached down my hand to him, towards his throat._

_I can snap his head off right here, right now. It was just as easily as crushing a newborn's skull. I stared upon his innocent sleeping form. He was so stupid, so oblivious to the danger that's hovering over his tiny little body. The danger that he invited in. I stared at him for minutes; my body froze within the position. Just a bit more and I can strangle him. Just a bit more…and I can tear out his throat. I knew what I had to do, but my body didn't move. My hand was stiff, as though frozen by time._

_I couldn't move._

_My hand wouldn't move the inch I needed._

_I gritted tightly in frustration. My hand slowly rolled into a fist before I smashed it down into the earth, missing Rikuo's head by a mere centimeter. Groaning in rage, I flopped down onto the ground beside him. I rolled to my side with my back facing him. I then slowly spread my wings as the blanket of feathers covered his little body. I didn't know why I bother, but I did. Strangely, I was able to feel it...his warmth, his heartbeat; through the tips of my feathers._

_I felt my cold body beginning to warm…almost as though I was stealing away his warmth._

_Again…that strange peacefulness spread through me as I soon found myself drifting into the darkness._

_After that very day, the human form Rikuo began talking to me more often. _

_It wasn't like he never talked to me. It's just that every time he approached me, the youkai around him would stop him. I don't blame them. After all, they should be wary of me. However Rikuo thought otherwise, mislead by the wrong impression he gotten that day. And everyday, Rikuo would do whatever he could to speak with me despite what everyone else told him. I didn't pay him much attention to him. It started out as a one sided conversation. I would sit on a tree, dozing off while he by the stump under the very same tree, talking about his friends, what they did during school._

_Eventually, I began talking back to him. I had nothing better to do anyways, so I decided to use him to kill the time of the sun. As we began to interact, the youkai around seemed to have loosened their defenses for me as well. _

_Soon…it was as though I truly became part of the Hyakki Yakou. _

_The other youkai began talking to me. I was even ordered with chores from time to time. And when I charmed a random ayakashi off the street into doing my works, the Hyakki Yakou would lecture and yell at me. They were mysterious…those lots. They spoke with me as though we had been friends since ages ago when in reality; I was tormenting them just until recently._

_Autumn withered, and winter came._

_The snow thawed and then bloomed spring._

_Before I knew it, a year had gone by._

_I had completely forgotten my purpose, of why I've entered the Hyakki Yakou in the first place. _

_It all felt so natural around them. I enjoyed it, the warmth I was able to feel every passing day. I came to enjoy some of the chores, I enjoyed it when I was lectured for being caught slacking off. If only everyday, this cycle would repeat…but it didn't. I knew it was an impossible wish. As days passed, I became wary of my own condition._

_I had stayed too long._

_The limit of my time had long expired._

"Miu!"

I heard Rikuo called as I slowly opened my eyes just as the door to my room slid open.

"What's this now? Rikuo-sama. Surely you have better manners to know to knock before coming into a lady's room." I whispered softly with a faint smirk.

"I heard you collapsed, are you alright?" Rikuo asked in concern as he gently closed the door behind him. When he turned around to me, his eyes widen almost in horror as he stared at the piles of feathers scattered over the floor. "What are…" He wasn't able to finish when his eyes trailed to my wings.

His eyes were glued to my left wing which was completely shed of feathers along with flesh and skin. What remains in my left wing was now nothing but bones and joints that are still keeping them whole.

The secret that I had hid by wrapping bandages around them was now exposed.

"What happened?" Rikuo nearly gasped as he rushed over to the futon where I laid. "What…What happened to your wing?" He whispered breathlessly as I stared at that frightened look upon his face.

"Ah…this?" I mumbled softly before moving my wing of bone along with my other wing that was still healthy…for the time being. "It's nothing. Just a little disease. It's common in my kin." I said before noticing liquids gathering within those large brown eyes. At that, I slowly picked up a feather off my blanket and raised it to his face. With a brush, the tip of my feather caught his tears just in time before it stains his cheek.

I watched silently as his droplet of tears rolled down my feather, down the quill before soaking the tips of my fingers. "Why are you shedding tears? It's not like I will die from this, Rikuo-sama." I informed before tossing my feather aside. "When did you have it?" Rikuo then asked as my eyes slowly shifted back to him.

"…Have what may I ask?" I knew what he meant, but I just played dumb.

"The disease. When did you have it? You lied about injuring yourself didn't you?" Rikuo demanded in a louder voice which was extremely rare coming from him.

"When now…Three months I do believe." I replied softly.

"Three months?" Rikuo nearly whispered in disbelieve before his expression suddenly became a look of anger.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!" He screamed. I saw it coming. I knew it was coming but even so, I was still shocked by his sudden outburst. Perhaps it was because I never imagine that he could scream so loudly. "You really do love going into other people's privacy don't you, Rikuo-sama?" "If you had said something sooner, we could have helped you!" Rikuo argued back. Upon his words, I felt a smirk sliding over my face.

He was a fool.

He has absolutely no idea.

"No, you won't. Only I know the cure for this disease."

I said softly as Rikuo's eyes widened. "What is it?" He eagerly asked. "Whatever you need, I'll get it for you." He pushed on, seeming more desperate than I am. "You really…want me to get better?" I asked softly as Rikuo gave me a strange look. "Of course!" Rikuo said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Everyone's worried about you. If you know how to cure this disease, tell me. I'll do whatever I can." Rikuo said in a hurry as I smiled upon how ironic his words are. I then slowly raised a finger up before pressing it against the edge of my paled lips.

"I…won't tell you~"

_My condition grew worst._

_True to my word, I never leaked even a bit of information about my disease to anyone. I ignored Rikuo's plead. I ignored all of the other youkai's words of concern. At times I sat idly beneath a tree, watching silently as they flipped through their library for every type of disease they could dig out._

_But no matter how hard they search, they would find nothing._

_After all, it wasn't possible for them to find something that never existed since the very beginning._

_No matter who came to me, I would shut myself in silent until they were forced to leave empty handed. I knew that because of my selfish silence, I was making Rikuo's life miserable. I watched from the shadows as he researched everything he would find in the day, while roaming throughout the night seeking for information. I knew it was useless. He would never find anything and there was absolutely no way that I will tell him._

_Four more months then passed._

_And eventually…I had lost the power to go outside. My legs had become numb. I was unable to feel them, making me incapable of walking. I was unable to fly for that I was featherless. On my back where two large feathery wings used to be were now but bones of their remains. My skins were cracked, as though my body was made of glass._

_My time isn't long now._

_I could clearly feel the inside of my body beginning to crumble._

_I knew that I won't last long at this rate. I knew that I must do something before my life is put in jeopardy. I knew it all so well. But even so…I did nothing._

_Every passing day, my body grew frailer._

_On the spring of the second year, I finally reached my limit._

"**AAAH!**"

I screamed as blood splattered out of the cracks that filled my body. I swallowed a mouthful of blood and carefully wiped the crimson liquid that leaked down my eyes. As I panted heavily as I heard poundings against my door.

"Miu!"

"Miu what's going on?"

"Something the matter?"

"Open up!"

It was members of the Hyakki Yakou, but I paid them no mind.

With all my strength, I slowly pushed myself up, wobbling slightly before I steadied my balance. I then began dragging my wrecked feet as I went towards my closet and slid the door open. Then with a punch, I smashed the wooden wall down, creating an exit for me. I slowly stepped into the night, ignoring the trail of blood I left behind. With the youkai gathered at my door, the other parts of the manor became abandoned.

I was easily able to get away by leaving through the back door.

"Just one last time…"

I want to see that person…just one last time.

I slowly closed my eyes as I felt my hair beginning to flutter within the windless void. My muscles tightened as a gust of wind slammed against me. My long hair burst apart, morphing into thousands of white weathers and leaving my remains of hair only at shoulder length. With a flick of my finger, the feathers began attaching themselves to my wings of bones. I clenched onto my wounds, gasping as I endured the pain that were gliding over the surface of my bones. I waited, almost impatiently as the last feather attached itself to place.

Without waiting for my pain to recover, I quickly stretched out my newly formed wings. When I did, I cried out as I heard a snapping sound emitted from my back. I could feel fresh crimson blood dripping down from the joints of my wings. However, I didn't care. I gave my wings another couple of flaps before shooting off into the sky.

I flew over the city until I reached a mountain. The mountain where I met that Gotokuneko…where Rikou had first offered drink to me.

Since that incident, it had become a special place that only the two of us would meet on every full moon's night. Once my feet touched upon the frozen earth, the feathers from my wings burst apart as I tumbled into the melting snow. My gasps filled the silent air as I lay there motionlessly. My eyes were locked to the sky, at the full moon that lit this night.

"Too bad…there's no sake." I mumbled to myself before feeling a smile sliding across my lips.

Perhaps I finally snapped and lost it…to suddenly want something I usually hated. Who ever heard of wanting to drink something they despised at the verge of death? I slowly gazed at the crimson snow around me. The colour of crimson under the night…and the pure colour of earth under the sun…both were the colours of his eyes.

The colours I've came to admire…

_To love._

"He's probably…rushing back from his meeting."

I mumbled softly to myself before I began dozed off. I wondered when…Rikuo would arrive at his house. How would he look when he returned to see his subordinates running around in panic. How would he feel when he entered my room that was splattered with my blood. I wanted to know…what expressions he will have. What feelings he would feel when he sees the scenery I was so used to. I knew he would definitely feel differently than how I saw the colour of crimson through my eyes. I wanted to know…

But I want to see it even more…the expression he will have when we meet.

"**Miu!"**

I immediately recognized it, that torn voice that pierced through the dark silence.

I felt a pair of arms slipping under me as a forced pulled me out of the freezing snow. I felt my body being gathered into this comfortable warmth I did not hate.

"Miu! Miu!" That panicked voice cried as I slowly opened my eyes and found myself staring into two crimson orbs. The crimson eyes that were reflecting my wrecked body like mirrors. "You're…here." I whispered softly as I stared at that face that looked as though it would break down any second. "Hang on. I'll-" Rikuo wasn't able to finish what he intended to say for that with a sudden burst of energy, I grabbed him by the throat. With a twist of my body, I flew into the air. Using the weight of my body I slammed Rikuo right into the blood stained snow as I fell on top of him.

I tightened my grip over his neck, ignoring the fountain of blood that was rapidly escaping my hollow body. "Stupid." I mumbled before the feathers that were scattered around us suddenly began to move. With a snap of my fingers, my feathers hovered into the air, their quills all directed towards Rikuo's head.

"I suggest you not to move. My feathers…are sharper than any blades you'll find…" I warned him as I stared at my blood that were floating down my arm, drowning his neck. Yes, this is my purpose.

This was what I was supposed to do.

"…I know." I heard those two words mumbled out of those rosy lips.

I blinked in surprise.

That shocked expression that was over his face right now had disappeared completely. "_You kno_–…? Hey, I'm going to kill you here." I said, but he just started at me with eyes as though telling me that he knows that as well.

"You won't kill me." Rikuo said confidently as my feathers that were hovering within the air inched closer.

"Want to bet?" I whispered softly. However, Rikuo just stared at me with a stern and confident gaze. "If you had wanted to kill me, you would have done so long ago, right?" He said as my eyes widened in surprise at his words. "What…?" I whispered breathlessly. "You…knew?" He knew.

He knew what my intentions were…since the beginning.

"You knew I was…" I wasn't able to finish my sentence for that my own laughter cut me off.

"This really is the worst." I chuckled.

Not only could I not killed him, I was being played in his hand all along. But strangely, I wasn't upset or angered by the news. In fact, I felt strangely happy. "I see you aren't the heir of the Nura clan for nothing, Rikuo-sama." Hearing a soft crumbling sound, I slowly looked down to see my hands that began breaking down, revealing the hollowness of my inside.

"This is…?"

Rikuo whispered in shock as his widened eyes where locked upon my body that sat above him. I slowly glanced down at my own arm, at my shoulders, at my legs. My entire body was turning paler and paler by the second. When Rikuo's glaze trailed down my arms, his eyes widened more to see feathers beginning to peel off my skin at the wrists.

"What is this?" Rikuo whispered as I smirked softly. "Don't worry. I am simply letting go of this body. That is all." I replied softly when I noticed that concerned face of his. "What do you mean?" Rikuo quickly demanded as I slowly lift my hand up and held it against his cheek.

"Did you never…wonder why my body was so cold despite the blood running through my veins?" I whispered softly as I watched my fingers breaking down into feathers and blown away by the gentle breeze.

"This body…isn't my real body." I answered to my own question, not even waiting for his response.

"It is our Dojis' ability. We can clone ourselves with our feathers and transfer our spirit into the clone to move it. Through generations, this ability has been kept a secret so…be grateful. You are the very first outside of Doji to know of it, Rikuo-sama."

"What do you mean–…then your real body?" He then asked as I felt my smile faded.

"My real body right now is hidden in a safe place." I replied before quickly picking back my earlier smile. "What you see on me…will be what you see on my real body. I should be feather less and cracked like a pot right now." I laughed softly, trying to make a joke for the first time which perhaps wasn't as funny as I thought seeing how I didn't get a reaction from Rikuo.

Instead, he somehow looked even more worried than before for unknown reason. "So since the beginning your body was a clone?" Rikuo questioned, still seeming unable to get rid of his shock. I said nothing but replied with a silent nod.

"Then your disease-"

"Was a lie." I quickly said, knowing that he's already beginning to catch on.

"This is the side effect of the clone. It's a fake body after all so it normally breaks within a couple of months. I've already pushed this body far beyond its time limit. Once my spirit is transferred, the clone and my real body becomes connected. What I consume, what damage I get will be reflected upon my real body and vise versa. So naturally if my clone dies before I could transfer my spirit back to my real body, I too will die."

I told him before Rikuo's eyes trailed back to my body.

"I told you didn't I; That this disease won't kill me?"

"Will you come back?" Upon that question, I felt my body frozen stiff.

Almost as though knowing what my answer would be, Rikuo grasped my wrists. He then shot up, his arms wrapping around my body as I felt myself reeled in against his warmth. "You know…I'm someone who originally planned to kill you." I told him. However, Rikuo's expression only softened upon that.

"Then why did you stay for two years?" He then asked. "You said it yourself didn't you? Why did you stay for 2 years pushing yourself to your limit, enduring the pain and risking your life? Wasn't it because you wanted to stay with everyone?" At his words, I felt a faint smile slowly swept across my lips.

"Come with me, Miu. The real Miu." I heard his voice whispered, softly beside my ear as the arms around me tightened.

"That's impossible."

"Why?" Rikuo asked as I stared at the moon hovering over our heads.

"You wanted to stay don't you?" He said, reading my mind. "I didn't purposely use a clone to enter your Hyakki Yakou just to protect myself in case of danger." I began, my legs already gone, blown away by the wind as nothing but a trail of feather.

"I had been moving through my clones for five years now."

"Five years?" Rikuo whispered in shock as I saw the image of that gigantic talon flashing back into my head. That large…golden eye that illuminated the night…

"I had hidden my real body in a place that cannot be found. From there, I would clone myself and walk upon the surface to mislead him of my real location. When I entered your Hyakki Yakou, it wasn't solely for the sake of killing you. I was trying to hide myself from him."

"Him? Is someone after you?" Rikuo asked as my gaze slowly shifted back to him.

"Who is it? If you tell me I can-"

"Can what?" I nearly shouted as I cut him off. I stared at him for a while before my eyes slowly drifted away from him. The sadness plastered within my face, I could no longer hide it anymore at the memories.

"You can't beat him. He can't be beaten. You'll be killed before you can see him."

I snapped as I bit my lower lips, desperately trying to stop my own body that was trembling at the mention of that thing. "Where is your real body?" I snap my eyes back to Rikuo, glaring almost in disbelieve at him. "Didn't you listen to a word-" "Miu." Rikuo said sternly, cutting me off as we exchanged gaze. "You are now part of my Hyakki. If I can't protect you, how can I call myself the leader of all youkai?" Rikuo said as my eyes widened.

"Where is it, your real body?"

His words softly echoed within my ears as I felt something gathering within my eyes. It was tears. I was…crying. For the first time of my life, I was crying… "So…this is tears." I laughed softly as I gently clenched onto Rikuo's kimono.

"You know, I'm not part of your Hyakki Yakou. The one who exchanged sakazuki with you was this clone, not I."

"No. It was your spirit who exchanged sakazuki with me, wasn't it?"

Rikuo replied as I laughed even more at how fast he was catching on. "It's a beautiful night." I said before looking back up to the moon. "...You wouldn't happen to have some sake would you?" I joked after a moment of pause before turning back to Rikuo. I then slowly leaned up and brushed my lips softly against his marble smooth cheek. I planted down a kiss upon him.

"I don't hate you. So that's why…I won't tell you."

I whispered softly beside his ears as my eyelids began to slowly slide down my eyes.

"If you can find me then I will submit to you."

Those were the last words I told him. From the corner of my eyes, I saw his lips moved. He was speaking, trying to tell me something. I couldn't hear his voice. I couldn't hear anything but the sound of my crumbling body. I shut my eyes in pain as I felt a force suddenly drilled through my chest. The next second when my eyes reopened, I was staring into the abyss. I slowly looked down upon my cracked and bleeding body before around at the darkness. There was no sky, no trees…there was no moon.

Naturally, Rikuo wasn't here.

"I've returned…"

I mumbled softly before leaning back against the rocky wall. I slowly raised my wounded hand as my fingers slowly slid by my cheek. When I pulled away, I looked down to see the droplet of water that soaked my finger tips, glittering within the dark.

"What…did he said?"

I mumbled softly to myself as I slowly closed my eyes, remembering the form of how his lips moved. I felt my energy of my body draining away as drowsiness overwhelmed me. Now that my spirit was back, my body has started going into hibernation to recover from the damage.

"Looks like…one or two years of sleep wouldn't be enough to recover."

I whispered softly as I saw an image of Rikuo…both his human and youkai form, flashing back into my mind.

I wanted to see him, missing him already.

"Rikuo…sama…"

I whispered softly. I could feel my heartbeat gradually fading, my body beginning to harden.

Perhaps when I wake up…shall I pay a visit to Kantou again?

* * *

Doji – is a spirit with white wings, accounted in European mythology as being like an angel.

Miu – means _Beautiful Feather_

Gotokuneko - a cat Yokai who can breathe fire from a cut shoot of bamboo. His name means "Cat of Five Virtues".


	2. Floating Stars

"What a beautiful night~" I sang swinging my legs that were dangling over the edge of the cliff.

My gaze reflected the twinkles of lights scattered across my head. I slowly brushed a lock of my long silver hair behind my ear. Through the tips of my feathers, I could feel the gentle warm breeze brushing against me.

_Today was another night._

_A night just like any others._

I slowly stretched my hands and held them above my head.

_The same night; like any other nights since my awakening half a year ago._

I stared at the moon within my view. I carefully shaped my hands around it so that it looked like I was holding the moon. However, I was unable to find myself enjoying the moon as I was intended. Instead, my eyes were focused upon my forearms. My blood stained arms, proof that I have yet again taken lives of countless youkais and ayakashis.

"…I should wash my hands."

I mumbled softly to myself. My gaze shifted. I stared plainly upon the mountain of bodies lying behind me. "Looks like–" I mumbled softly before stretching my wings to see that the blood had tainted my feathers as well. "– a bath would be more suitable." I then slowly climbed onto my feet as my eyes shifted to the horizon where I saw specks of reddish lights. I could feel it even from here, the numerous youkais that were dwelling within that place…

"That village's…"

A smirk formed across my lips.

_The youkai village Shiki*; located in the __Shizuoka Prefecture of the Chuubu region on Honshuu Island._

_It was a famous village well known for its hot springs._

"Guess tonight might not be a bad night after all."

_That was where I__ was._

"Welcome!"

A Rokurokubi* greeted as I stepped into the entrance of the largest hot spring house in the area. "Good evening." I greeted with a faint smirk as I walked up to the counter where the Rokurokubi stood. "A busy night isn't it, youkai-sama?" She said, trying to start a little friendly conversation. "I suppose." I replied softly before leaning against the counter. "Get me a room for three night's stay. The best room you have." I said as I tossed a wallet – of a drunken youkai I randomly pocket picked off the street – to the Rokurokubi. "Yes, of course!" The Rokurokubi gasped when she saw the amount that was inside. I then watched, slightly amused as her neck began to stretch all the way down the hall.

"Yuzu! Yuzu!"

She called as another Rokurokubi hurried out and greeted me with a bow. "Yuzu, manage here until I return." The Rokurokubi ordered before bowing towards me. "Youkai-sama, please follow me." She said as I began following her down the long hall. "There's a lot of Rokurokubi here." I stated softly, bored. At hearing my words, the Rokurokubi laughed. "Yes. This inn has been managed by our clan since the Edo period." She explained as I glanced back slightly at the Rokurokubi Yuzu who was standing over the counter.

"Is there a room with a private hot spring, okami*?"

"Oh, I'm afraid the room is already taken, youkai-sama."

The Rokurokubi said, twisting her neck around 180 degreed with an apologetic face. "I'll pay double the price." I offered, but at that she frowned even more. "I'm sorry, I cannot do that. The one who booked the room is a commander of a powerful clan. He's an honorable guess here." She informed, stopping before the shojis. She then kneeled down onto the wooden floor and carefully slid the shoji apart to reveal a large, well-cleaned room.

"Though this room doesn't have a private hot spring, this is the second best we have in the house. Would this be of your taste, youkai-sama?"

She asked politely, but in honest truth I didn't care much for the fancy room. I didn't even give the room a glance as I walked over the tatami, heading towards the window. I leaned my shoulder against the wall as I slowly peer out the transparent glass. It was there in the sky, the moon I mean. And with a perfect view as well. "Yes, this will be perfect." I replied softly before hearing the Rokurokubi chuckling softly.

"Something the matter?"

I asked, my glaze slowly turning to her.

"O-Oh no. Please forgive my rudeness. It's just that it's the same."

The Rokurokubi replied as I gave her a strange look. "The other customer did the same as you." She chuckled before giving me a low bow. "Then lunch will be served at midnight. The hot spring is just down the hall to the right. Please enjoy your stay." She then placed a clean set of kimonos and towels onto the table before quietly excusing herself.

"…Hot spring…come to think of it, this will be my second time going to one."

I mumbled to myself as I sat upon the windowsill, my eyes glued to the moon.

_"Hot spring?"_

_I said with a dull gaze as I slowly opened my eyes to Rikuo who sat beside my futon. _

_"Pass." _

_"It can at least ease your pain a bit." He added. _

_"I said I pass." I growled at him before noticing how those crimson eyes softened. He then slowly stretched out his hand and gently glided his fingers across my cracked cheek. Upon his touch, I flinched before quickly pulling myself away._

_"Does it hurt?"_

_Rikuo asked softly, but I gave him no reply. I just rolled to my side, my boned wings and back facing him. "Please look for someone else to accompany you, Rikuo-sa– !" I gasped, shivering as I felt a pair of cool arms slipping under me. Before I knew it, I was pulled into the freezing air, out of the warmth of my blanket._

_"Rikuo-sama, what are you doing?"_

_I protested, but Rikuo simply ignored me as he carried me out of my room. I tried to push him away, but I only succeeded in inflicting more pain upon myself. "Rikuo-sama, put me down this instant." I demanded, but he said nothing as he walked pass the Supreme Commander._

_"Old man, I'm going out."_

_Rikuo said without even a glance towards his grandfather and leaped onto the head of a snake youkai. "Wait, let me–" I wasn't able to finish for that the ayakashi took off into the sky without warning. Unable to steady myself, I gasped as I felt my body slipping off the slippery surface of the snake. But fortunately, Rikuo grabbed me just in time as he pulled me against him, his arms wrapped safely around me, protecting me._

_"Rikuo-sama please put me down."_

_I called through the roaring wind. He just kept the silent treatment. Half way through, I finally decided to give up. I was tired, as usual. Even just by sitting here, I could feel my strength being drained away from me._

_I couldn't remember much during the rest of the trip, for that I shortly lost consciousness. But the next moment I woke, I found myself was sitting at the edge of a hot spring, my feet dipped within the hot water. I could still remember my surprise back then that I nearly fell in if Rikuo hadn't caught me._

_"It isn't so bad, is it?"_

_I could still remember the expression he held when he asked me that. A soft, gentle expression matched with a heart warming smile. I slowly stared down at my feet before looking around the surrounding only to realize that Rikuo had booked a room with a private hot spring._

_"Forcefully dragging a sick patient here and you dare ask me that?"_

_I snapped softly at him before turning my glaze to my feet that were dipped within the warm water. I then smiled. It was a very, very faint smile. But it was a smile nonetheless._

_"…It's alright…I suppose."_

"Come to think of it, that was six years ago, wasn't it…?"

I mumbled softly as I folded my kimono and placed it into the basket. Then wrapping the towel around my body, I stepped out into the summer breeze. I stared at the hot spring, filled with female youkai and ayakashi. I slowly glanced around the crowds, my eyes darting around until I found a little opening near the center of the hot spring. With a flap of my wings, I flew over and slowly dipped myself in.

"My~ That's very convenient."

The otter– I mean the _Kawa-uso_* who was sitting beside me commented.

"It's not so convenient when you loose them." I replied as the Kawa-uso chuckled upon that.

"You're a Doji aren't you? It's my first time seeing one."

"My kin aren't the social type." I replied with a faint smirk.

"A nice night is it not?" I asked softly before glancing up at the moon hanging over our heads.

"Oh yes~ A delightful night indeed." The Kawa-uso said happily.

"There's a lot of youkais here. Is there an event of some sort?" I asked, slightly curious as to the reason behind the crowd.

"Didn't you know? It's the 15th of August!"

"…So?"

"The Tourou Nagashi*! Tourou Nagashi!"

The Kawa-uso exclaimed. I on the other hand only gave her a dull stare. "Tourou–…Are you trying to send yourself off?" I mumbled but the Kawa-uso only laughed upon that.

"You believe in myths like that?"

_"I don't want to hear it from a talking otter"_ I wanted to say, but held myself back. "Of course it's for the fun of it!" The Kawa-uso exclaimed but my glaze only dulled even more. "I…see…" I mumbled softly, still finding it somewhat strange. It was the first time in my entire life have I heard of youkai and ayakashis celebrating this kind of…_human-**ish**_ festival.

"If you've never joined before, you should try. The festival will be held at tomorrow's night."

"And what? Write down messages for myself?"

I said plainly, having absolutely no interest in such pity event. "Oh no! Of course you write your wish down!" My wings fluttered slightly, making tiny splashes in the water. I tried to suppress my laughter. I couldn't help it when I heard the words of the Kawa-uso. It was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard. Writing your wish onto a broken old lantern and sending it off into the water…it was just plain stupid.

_That was what I had thought at that time._

"Whatever my wish is, it isn't something that can be realized."

"Don't say that. You should try. I'm sure you will enjoy it."

The Kawa-uso said, causing my wings to quiver even more. My laughter was on the verge of blowing out. I quickly regained my control over my body and very shortly, my trembling calmed.

"So everyone's here for this stup–..._stunning_ festival?"

"Yes. It's my third time coming here with my mate for our anniversary!"

The Kawa-uso said happily as my eyes softened…just slightly.

"Is that so? Congratulation then. Your mate is lucky to have such a…shiny…well-groomed Kawa-uso such as yourself." I mumbled softly, half unsure at what exactly was I suppose to say. But fortunately, it appeared that I had said a good thing for that the Kawa-uso smiled so wide that I was able to see those razor sharp teeth that were hidden within her jaw.

"Oh you're such a kidder!" She giggled.

"How does it feel being loved?" I asked softly before staring down at my own reflection within the spring water.

"Oh come on now don't tell me you've never had anyone chasing you before with your beautiful face." The Kawa-uso laughed as she patted her paw against my shoulder, most likely thinking that I was joking.

"Yes…I suppose there is someone chasing after me, for twelve years now."

I mumbled softly before waving my hand in the water to destroy my reflection. "You must be quite popular! Do you have anyone special in mind?" The Kawa-uso asked excitingly, seeming extremely interested in where this topic is heading. Even her usual lined eye opened to reveal her dark violet pupils

"How do you call someone special?"

I asked, slightly confused and unable to understand the meaning of her words. "Oh you know! Like someone who's always been on your mind." The Kawa-uso said, nudging me gently in the arm with her furred elbow. "…On my mind?" I mumbled softly before immediately catching a glimpse of Rikuo's image passing through my brain.

"That I suppose…I have."

I said with a faint smirk. "Oh! Who would this lucky male be? Is he here with you?" The Kawa-uso asked as I slowly stood up. "Who knows? We haven't met for 5 years now." I replied before slowly climbing onto my feet.

_A wish…_

"Hey…The lanterns; where can you buy them?"

"Why you can buy them from Chouchinobake's* store at the third district."

The Kawa-uso replied. "So you're going to make a wish?" The Kawa-uso asked, but I only smirked upon that.

_I merely wanted to kill time with this stupid festival._

_That was what I thought…since I seriously have nothing better to do.._

_If it was the past me, I would have just bluntly told her off. To tell her that something like a **wish** was useless. To mock at her stupidity for believing in such useless thing. But, I couldn't bring myself to tell her. I was unable to bring myself to crush her happiness she came solely for tomorrow's night…the night where she would spend time with her special one._

"Yeah…maybe."

I lied through my teeth.

With a wave, I flapped my wings and flew out of the hot spring. Once I dried and dressed myself in the kimono the Rokurokubi provided, I walked out into the crowded street that was free of human soul. There are youkai dancing around the street, performing stuns…and family of ayakashi happily floating around.

It was stupid.

Every single youkai and ayakashi here I found stupid for getting excited. What good would something like a wish do? What would they benefit out of it? And most important of all; who are they expecting to hear their wishes and have it granted?

As I pondered over my questions, I soon found my thought drifting back to Rikuo.

"Five years now…heh?"

I whispered softly to myself as I stare at the red lanterns that lit the street. Five years…he must have grown a lot. "I couldn't even hear his last words…" I whispered softly as I remembered back to that night when we parted. Those last words he said to me that I wasn't able to hear…what exactly did he said? I couldn't figure out no matter how much I thought over it.

"Hahaha! You should have seen the look on his face!"

I heard as I looked up to see an ayakashi coming my way. I smiled upon that. Just when we were about to pass each other, I quickly stretched out my wings – just a bit – so that the two of us would collide. "Gah!" The ayakashi gasped as the two of us fell onto the ground.

"Oh sorry! Are you alright? I should have watched where I was going."

I gasped as I quickly climbed onto my feet and reached my hand down to the ayakashi. "It's alright. Don't sweat it." The ayakashi laughed as he took my hand, allowing me to help him up. "You should be more careful, little lady." The ayakashi said with a kind smile before walking off with his friend again.

"Yes, I'll bare that in mind."

I mumbled; a smirk plastered over my face as I turned and continued down the road. "Sorry, I have nothing against you…" I mumbled softly to myself before looking at the bill I had pulled out of that ayakashi's wallet that split second he fell. "…But I'm a little short in cash." I whispered softly to myself before I glanced around the place.

"Let see…"

I mumbled softly before finding the lantern stall with a Chouchinobake the Kawa-uso told me of.

_It was only to kill time._

_It wasn't like I believed in any of this nonsense._

"One lantern." I said as I handed the Chouchinobake the money I _borrowed_. "Pick any you like~!" The Chouchinobake sang as my glaze trailed around the lanterns. They were all the same; all rectangular. I found it strangely ironic though…of how the roundish Chouchinobake was selling lanterns with edges.

"Give me the farthest one to the right."

"Here you go!"

The Chouchinobake said as he handed me my new lantern. "Would you like to write your wish down?" The Chouchinobake asked as he held up a brush to me. I shook my head. "It's fine. There's no need to." I replied softly and walked off with the lantern dangling on my fingertip.

"Wait miss! Your change!"

The Chouchinobake called from behind, but I kept my pace. "It's fine. Keep it." I shouted, not even bothering to glance back at him. As I walked, I held up the lantern to my eye level, my glaze locked uponit.

"Something stupid like this…what's the use of writing anything down?"

_For the rest of that night, I did nothing but glared at the lantern._

_I tried of throwing it away a couple of times, finding it absolutely ridiculous joining some silly little beliefs. But in the end, I would always pick it back up. I didn't know why I even bothered; it was only a cheap paper lantern._

_A useless lantern only good for lighting the room._

_Even knowing that, I couldn't help but feel slight attraction towards the lantern._

"A wish…"

I mumbled as I stared at the lantern resting on my table. Behind me, the morning sunlight was beaming into my room. The air outside was quiet, the street abandoned. If I have to guess, I was probably the only one still awake at such hour. Heaving out a sigh, my eyes slowly drifted to the ink and brush lying on the corner of the table.

_There was no reason to write something stupid like a wish._

_It would never be realized, I knew that._

_No matter how hard you wish for it…it would never be realized._

_I knew that, yet somewhere within my heart, I found it quite tempting to scribble something upon it. Whenever I stared at the blankness of the paper surface, I feel the urge to contaminate it._

"Should I…"

I slowly reached my hand out, gently grasping the wooden surface of the brush and dipped it into the ink pad. "…write world domination?" I mumbled softly to myself, my eyes glued to the lantern.

I stared at it for minutes…hours.

My hand wouldn't move, just like the time I wasn't able to strangle Rikuo.

"…Was scribbling something always this hard?" I mumbled before thinking back to that Kawa-uso. She seemed to already have a wish in mind.

That smile of hers…that excited expression…

"Guess it's only hard for someone like me."

_Yes, I knew._

_I reality, I knew that I didn't really believe anyone was stupid writing their wish down._

_Perhaps I was just jealous, that they have something to write down. To sent it off with a companion by their side, to find fun in such boring ritual._

_Yes…I was jealous, at their ability to have something to wish for._

_Perhaps somewhere deep inside, I wanted someone to hear it too…**my** wish._

"In the end…nothing seems to come to mind."

I whispered as I sat upon the branch of a tree on the very night of the Tourou Nagashi. I stared at the lantern resting in the palm of my hand…still plain white, clean of ink. Catching a glimpse of light from the other side of the foggy lake, I slowly turned. It has begun. Youkai and ayakashi alike are beginning to light the candle of the lantern and sending them into the water. Even from here I could hear it, the happy chattering and melody of songs.

When I noticed how the tiny little lights were slowly drifting towards the dark, lonely side where I dominate, I smiled. I leaped down the branch I was resting upon, landing silently onto the muddy ground from the afternoon shower. I slowly made my way to the bank of the lake and watched as the lanterns floated by me, lighting my surroundings.

**_I want a girlfriend_**

**_To become the leader of the XXX clan_**

**_I want to be the most powerful ayakashi_**

**_I want to be rich_**

I could see it clearly...the variety of wishes written upon the hundreds of lanterns. Though some sounded ridiculous, I couldn't find myself to laugh at any of them as I intended.

All of them were wonderful wishes.

"Maybe world domination after all."

I mumbled as I looked down at my lantern I have yet to light. I then slowly pulled out a marker and sat down on a rock by the edge of the lake. I held up my lantern to the moon, smiling as the image of Rikuo resurfaced within my mind. I then pulled the cap off the marker and began writing down my wish. Once I finished, I carefully lit the candle with a match and placed it into the water. With a gentle push, I watched as my lantern began drifting away, joining others of its kind.

"I must be stupid." I whispered to myself, smiling at the thought of the ridiculous thing I just wrote down. Then again...attending a festival like this was a stupid choice from the start.

For the rest of the night, I sat staring upon the specks of light.

It was warm.

Even though the lights were so far away, I felt warm and strangely content. I sat for minutes…hours, unable to keep track of my time and just glazed at the lights scattered in the distance. And whenever there were some near enough, I would read the wishes written upon it.

_But then…That was when I heard it; a soft clattering sound within the tender breeze._

_It was during the time where the specks of light beginning to fade and the moon shying away into the clouds._

I moved for the first time, slightly startled by the sudden sound that interrupted my peace. I slowly turned my glaze down. Just a couple feet before me, I found a lantern. It was stuck between rocks, its candle burned out. I leaped down my rock and slowly made my way over to it.

When I peered over the opening at the top of the lantern my eyes softened. There was a hole within the bottom of the lantern. Most likely it got torn when it hit the sharp edges of the ground. "Looks like you're abandoned." I whispered softly as I carefully picked the lantern into my arm.

"Wonder what wish got…"

I whispered; my voice trailing off as I turned the lantern around to see what kind of wish was written on it. But the minute I did, I nearly choked as my eyes widened in horror. What was on the other side of the lantern wasn't a wish at all. There was nothing on it aside from a single feather glued to the paper surface.

A white feather; one too large to belong to any bird.

"It can't be…"

I whispered softly as I brushed my fingertip over the surface of the feather to feel its texture. There was no mistake. This feather…it was **_my_** feather. "What…does this mean?" When the image of that large, golden eyes flashed back into my mind, I flinched. "No…he's not that much of a passionate guy." I quickly told myself as I relaxed. With a soft sigh to further calm myself, I plucked out my feather; carefully so that I wouldn't further damage the lantern.

"Wonder…what kind of wish was trying to be made with this silly thing."

I chuckled to myself before my gaze shifted. I then pulled a smirk upon my lips and turned around to greet the darkness of the forest behind me. "You guys wouldn't know, would you?" I called out to my uninvited guests.

A sound of a snapping twig was heard, echoing into the night.

"Enough with the sarcasm, Miu-sama." A voice I can't say I've missed, spoke before a figure came walking out of the shadows. It was a tall woman with long raven black hair. Her face covered with a thick layer of make-up like a Geisha. But even with the best make-up, she couldn't hide the ugliness that was underneath. On her back she carried eight, long hairy legs that would be commonly mistaken as her bad taste of fashion.

"It's been seven years now hasn't it? You didn't change at all, Jorougumo*." I sang.

Jorougumo snorted and took a sip at her pipe. "Unfortunately I can't say the same to you." She blew out a breath of smoke.

"It seems you have been well these seven years, Miu-sama. **_Very_ **well."

"I have?" I said innocently, giving her a sheepish grin.

"Of course." Jorougumo mumbled. My eyes quickly snapped to her hand, noticing how she was tightening her grip on her pipe.

"Why else…"

She hissed; greenish miasma escaping through the gaps of her lips. "Would you have such a human expression?" She bellowed in anger. Finally unable to withstand the pressure, the pipe within Jorougumo's hand snapped in two. That instant, I quickly stretched out my wings. With a powerful flap, I sent a gust of wind towards her and easily repelled her miasma.

"You spent the past seven years having so much fun…while letting Mouyou-sama* suffer as such…**_unforgivable_!**" She screamed, her pupils dilated.

"Now, now…You're making me sound like the bad guy." I chuckled.

"But I suppose he _should_ be suffering. After all, if he doesn't resort to such underhanded methods, I can't image anyone in the right mind wanting to marry that hideous, rabbit-eared gravedigger…Well, maybe you but you never had the right mind so you don't count, right~?" I laughed, purposely provoking the hideous make-up maniac before me.

"I don't care if you insult me, but I won't forgive you for insulting Mouyou-sama!" She screamed but I only laughed more at that.

"I've heard that line hundreds of times already, and I'm still alive aren't I?" I taunted.

"If you think luck will forever be by your side, then think again! Get her!"

Jorougumo commanded. I just stood in the same spot as I was, my wings folded neatly upon my back. Rustles of leaves then breached my ears, carried by the gentle breeze. Not a second later, I saw hundreds of different forms of shadows suddenly emerging over my head, blocking what's left of the faint light upon me.

The moon...was no longer there.

* * *

Shiki – Four Seasons

Rokurokubi – a person, usually female, whose neck can stretch indefinitely.

Okami – Lady Boss

Kawa-uso – a supernatural river otter.

Tourou Nagashi_ – _The customary practice to mark the end of the Bon Festival. Small paper lanterns containing lighted candles are floated on rivers or the sea light the way for the ancestral spirits as they depart. Usually a message is written on the outside of the paper lantern.

Chouchinobake – a haunted paper _lantern_

Jorougumo – a spider woman.

Mouyou – a long-eared, corpse-eating spirit.


	3. Five Years of Longing

The screams of ayakashi filled the silent night air.

I could feel it from my skin…

The neck I grasped in my palm, vibrating in a high pitch scream as I mercilessly smashed the skull against the rock hard ground, shattering the bone. I stood, my hand still pressing down upon the dead body, my hand drenched with the corpse's blood.

The edge of my lips slowly curved upward.

I was smiling. However, I wasn't smiling at the corpse as I used to. Instead, I was smiling at myself…at how ironically boring I found this to be.

No, perhaps not _boring_.

What was it–…Disgusting?

Yes…

**_Disgust_**

I was disgusted at the crimson liquid staining my hands. Disgusted at the lifeless body I held, at the corpses scattered around me. However, I wasn't allowed much time to analyze anymore of yet another newly found emotion when I felt a presence coming from my behind. I stood, stretching my arms out as I yawned softly. I waited for the presence to come closer. Once it came to my range, I stretched my wing and it slammed into a youkai who was just about to pounce onto my back. I then shifted the center of my gravity to my palm that was still pinning the once-alive-thing to the earth. With a twist of my body, I performed a spin kick and sent the ayakashi around me flying.

"Hey, don't you think you're gaining a little weight there, Miu-sama?"

Jorougumo chuckled within the distance; her eyes locked against the lantern I've been holding within my left arm. I smirked upon hearing her words. With a flip, I flew into the air, returning to my feet as I landed upon the pile of corpses. "I don't need someone who drags her feet behind her back to lecture me about weight." I told her before stretching out my wings and gave a powerful flap. A hurricane of wind was whipped up around my body, my feathers turning and toasting violently in the current. With a snap of my finger, the wind disbursed, sending my feathers flying out from all different directions and into the open space. I stared with plain expression as my feathers' quills pierced through the remaining ayakashi and youkai like arrows.

I then raised a finger. My feathers that were scattered around the area – as though lifted by an invisible string – flew into the air and returned to my side. "Why don't we prove how fast you are then?" The minute I spoke the final words, my blood filled feathers shot towards Jorougumo. I stood, my smirk never leaving my face as I watched the quills of my feathers aiming to drill holes through that hideous form of hers.

However, my smirk was soon wiped off by a smirk of her own. Ironically, she stood still.

She was waiting.

I didn't exactly know what she was waiting for…but she was waiting with confidence. The Jorougumo I knew who always acted rashly whenever provoked, was surprisingly calm. It was almost as though she knew my feathers wouldn't be able to reach her or somethnig. I stared from my spot, my feathers only a millisecond away from piercing through her.

Then…that's when I saw it.

The split second before she did a sidestep to avoid my attack…I saw it.

_I was so shocked by the scene that my body had frozen stiff. My mind was suddenly overwhelmed by horror…of that hideous colour that flashed within Jorougumo's right eye. I saw it clearly…that monstrous golden orb. _

_A hideous colour that only one being in this world have…_

"You…can't be…"

I whispered softly before blinking to suddenly find Jorougumo before me. With a twist of her body, she threw her leg up for a blow towards my head. I saw through her attack quite easily so I simply raised my hand. I intended to grab her ankle, to twist it so that she may never walk upon that human leg of hers again.

But I saw it again.

It was as though the time had slowed. Right before I was able to grab her, I saw the colour of her iris morphing into the colour of amber. Then the leg that I had planned to grasp vanished from the corner of my eyes. I wasn't even given a chance to react before feeling a harsh blow against my head from the opposite direction. I fell from the mountain of corpses, falling wing first onto the blood stained ground.

"Sweet dreams, Miu-sama!"

Jorougumo's laughter filled the air. I quickly looked up to see her standing upon the spot where I had stood. Her body was stretched back. Her mouth wide open, inhaling the surrounding air. Being all too familiar with this pattern, I quickly leaped onto my feet and spread my wings. With a flap, I soared into the night sky. However, I wasn't able to get far when my back soon smashed against an invisible wall. "What is this…?" I gasped as I tried to move my wings, but found myself couldn't.

I was glued to the sky.

"This is…"

I whispered before quickly taking a closer look at the sky. I couldn't see it at first, but when a tiny bit of moonlight peered out from the gaps of the clouds, I noticed the air around me sparkled.

It was webs.

The entire area was covered in a gigantic spider web. "That's impossible…" I gasped before quickly looking back down at Jorougumo. I had been keeping my eyes on her while fighting and she never moved an inch. There was no way she could have spun a web at such large scale.

"If you think I'm the same as seven years ago, you're sadly mistaken."

Jorougumo snapped as I noticed her cheeks puffing up. I immediately began to struggle, violently trashing my wings in attempt to free myself. But no matter how I tried, I couldn't pull myself free from the sticky web.

"For Mouyou-sama's sake, I'll spare your face!"

When my glaze turned down, I saw nothing but a stream of greenish acid coming closer into my view…towards the lantern. I quickly spread out my wings as wide as I could and folded it in front of me as shield. The split second the acid reaches me, I spun my body as hard as I could on the web, turning myself sideways in attempt to protect the worthless object.

"AAAH!" I screamed. My arms clenched onto the lantern tighter. I could feel the burning pain, literally melting through the bones of my wings. My eyes were wide open, too painful to shut as I witnessed holes being melted through my feathery wings. The greenish acid was splattered all over the side of my body, painting half of me with its disgusting colour. I could feel the acid frizzling within the holes melted through my torso, ribcage...and eventually, the liquid reached into my lungs.

It was ironic, for that there was nothing but the word _hollow_ inside this body of mine. Yet I could always tell, which organ of mine received the damage.

My cry was silenced, though my lips showed otherwise. Not long later, the voice that was supposed to flow through my dried lips was replaced by crimson fluid.

The fluid that carries the disgusting taste of copper.

"Hehehe...finally! After 12 years! We got her! We got her, Mouyou-sama!."

Jorougumo's muffled laughter of delight buzzed against my eardrums. Giving out another heavy cough, I slowly gazed down only to discover the lantern now half of what it used to be. "A-Ah…" I gasped, unable to hide the bitterness from my face. "You don't have time to worry about that silly lantern of yours." Hearing that irritating voice, I slowly turned. My eyes were narrowed in a death glare upon Jorougumo. There she was, sitting upon a gigantic spider youkai at the center of a larger web above me.

"So…the web is that spi-…!"

I broke into sections of coughs again, unable to properly finish my sentence. "You have certainly grown weak, Miu-sama. No, shall I say it's **we** who have grown stronger?" The spider brain exclaimed. "…W-…_We_?" I coughed softly upon her words. "Finally, Finally Miu-…" Jorougumo didn't finish what she has intended to say. That confident expression of victory was strangely replaced by shock as she stared down at me.

"What's with that face?" She gasped. It was then when I heard it…the soft cracking sound emitting from my own body. My eyes widened in horror. I quickly looked down at my arms to see that my body was filled with cracks. The damage was too much for the body to hold, it has begun breaking down. "…If I don't release it soon…!" I gasped before looking down at the lantern.

My eyes were then filled with hesitation.

"What the hell's going on…?"

Jorougumo whispered as she stared at a part of my skin that fell from my cheek. "It's empty…hollow…? This is…"

Within the darkness of the night, I saw it again. The colour of her right iris illuminating in a golden colour.

"A fake body?"

One sentence spoken from one pair of lips, yet two voices overlapped.

One belonged to Jorougumo…the other one so familiar that it sent shivers down my spine.

"What is this…explain yourself!"

Jorougumo's voice boomed as the spider youkai she was riding on gave out an ear piercing cry. "So…that's how it…is…" I whispered softly, getting over my shock as I finally solved the puzzle. My body went limp against the sticky web, staring motionlessly as thousands of webs shot out of the spider's mouth, aimed right at me. "So that's…how it is…!" I hissed. Ignoring the pain itching from my wounds, I raised the feather of the lantern that was clutched within my hand.

"W-What are you–…?"

Jorougumo gasped, seeming to realize what I was planning on doing. "Adios." I whispered before my muscles in my arm tightened. I gritted my teeth, the feather squeezed tightly within my palm. "I guess…" I whispered softly as I stared at all those hundreds of web that were melting together, becoming one. My glaze then softened. I found my thought drifting back…

Back to the wish I wrote upon my lantern.

"I'm an idiot after all…"

With a thrust, I aimed the quill directly towards my throat.

"Stop! Stop Stop Stop! Mouyou-sama stop her!" Jorougumo's screams filled the air.

Just before quill was able to drill through the thin flesh of my neck, I suddenly felt a force stopping me. "Wha…?" I gasped, my eyes snapping open as I slowly turned to see a large hand grasping at my wrist. The quill of my feather was scrapping against my neck, drawing out tiny bits of blood.

"Ah! My baby!"

Jorougumo screamed, followed by the cry of her gigantic spider. I slowly looked up only to catch a glimpse of blood splattering out of the spider. What happened next, I didn't know. The world before my eyes was in a blur. The wind slammed against me harshly that I couldn't open my eyes. All I was able to hear are the snapping sounds of webs.

By the time my eyes reopened I found myself at ground level – my body wilted within two pairs of arms. I was covered under the shadow of an umbrella. Out side of the shadow, rains of spider blood fell through the cloud covered sky, contaminating the scared land.

"Are you alright?"

A voice whispered within the shadow that snapped me out of shock. I slowly let my glaze trailed from the scarlet rain to my savior. The first thing that caught my eyes was those crimson eyes…eyes that I had dreamt of through those 5 long years. Though he had matured considerably, I could still recognize him.

That long, white and black hair, that confident look plastered over that face…

"…Do I look alri-ugh!"

My body quivered as I bit down on my lower lips to swallow back a scream. I panted softly, beats of sweat continued rolling down my forehead. Just when I was about to part my lips to ask why he was here; Jorougumo's scream erupted through the air.

"How dare you kill my baby! Who are you? Get out! Get out!"

I held the remains of the lantern tighter. Through my limited view of my perspective, I saw acids and webs raining randomly over the forest. Through my ears, I caught the sounds of multiple explosions. _'She can't see us?'_ I thought, finding it odd since we were standing in such wide open space.

There shouldn't be anyway that spider brain couldn't see us no matter how blind she was. Now that the sky was freed of blood rain, Rikuo tossed the umbrella aside, revealing the night sky with Jorougumo over the dead spider body upon the broken up spider web, screaming.

_'I see…so this is…his fear.' _I thought quietly to myself.

"Why…are you here?" I mumbled as Rikuo stared down at me. Then without a word, he held up a lantern…one I found myself immediately recognizing. After all, I did spent two nights glaring at it.

"That's…"

I choked form the shock as Rikuo slowly turned the lantern around to reveal the wish written on the opposite side.

**_Sake beneath the moon_**

That was the wish.

The wish I wrote upon the rice paper cover of the lantern.


	4. Special One

_**Sake beneath the moon**_

"You're the only one who would wish for something like this."

Rikuo said calmly before carefully sliding the lantern's string over his arm. "Beside…" With his now freed hand, he gently took the hand I held my feather with. He pulled my hand up and planted a gentle kiss at the tip of my feather.

"…I don't recall using this feather to wish for such thing. Don't do something stupid like this again."

His voice came out low and firm. I could feel the warmth of his breath caressing my fingers as he spoke. "You mean…this lantern…" I mumbled softly before my eyes softened in realization. My voice trailed off, my eyelids half way down my eyes. Too weak to hold myself up anymore, my body began to sink into his arm. At that, Rikuo gently pulled me closer to him, allowing my head to rest upon his shoulder.

"Don't sleep."

His hard voice commanded. Strangely, my body obeyed his words and almost instantly the drowsiness cleared a bit. "Who…would…" My voice trailed off again, growing too faint for even me to hear. I couldn't think straight. Inside my mind was a complete mess. Even the world before my eyes was spinning uncontrollably to the point where I could no longer tell apart the ground and sky

'_Damn it…that Jorougu…!'_ I cursed within my mind.

I bit down on my lower lip, but that did little in helping me with anything. I didn't know if I began hallucinating things because of the pain…but I suddenly found our surroundings began distorting. I saw this strange darkness shrouding itself around us, shutting us off from the distorted scenery.

Everything within my view was wrapped within darkness. I stared silently, too little energy to question what this was. After a second or two, the darkness around us suddenly shattered. I slowly gazed around, finding ourselves within an unfamiliar part of the forest.

That lake, that gigantic web, Jorougumo…they were all gone.

As shocked as I was, I didn't bothered asking him for an explanation of the event that just occurred. I was tired. I couldn't feel my fingers, my head was throbbing and pain was beating through my veins.

"You…grew…"

I mumbled softly as Rikuo stopped dead in his track. A gentle wind blew by. The air was filled with the songs of the forest that synchronizes with my heavy pants. "Shouldn't you go back?" Rikuo suddenly asked, his eyes narrowing upon me. However, I just acted oblivious to the expression written across his face.

"We haven't meet…for 5 years…and you're telling me to leave? Aren't you…a cruel one?" I whispered between pants. "This body of yours can't recover can it? Wouldn't it be more convenient for you if you return to your real body to heal yourself?" Rikuo said and at that, my smile gradually vanished from my face.

"How do you–"

"If you have time to talk, why don't you leave?"

He rudely cut me off, his crimson eyes locked tightly against mine. "I just want to see you a little longer…can't I?" I teased, straining my muscles just to force out a small smile. "Then why didn't you come back to Kantou?" He then questioned as I suddenly felt a strange urge to roll my eyes.

"…The air in Kantou isn't much to my likings." I lied through my teeth.

"Now that you're the famous Supreme Commander of the Nura Clan, I see…your attitude has rotten considerably. Don't you think…you can at least show some warmth…to someone you haven't meet for 5 years?"

The minute those words flowed out of my lips, I noticed Rikuo's expression darkened in anger. "Warmth?" He whispered as I felt his grip tightened upon me. "Then what about you?" I heard him muttered beneath his breath.

"After finally meeting in 5 years you just decided to die?"

My eyes widened as I felt his voice echoed within my ears. "If the clone dies, your real body will die as well. Isn't that what you said to me?" "…If a little acid like this can kill me, I would have been killed long ago." I coughed. "What about poison?" Rikuo said before gently taking my injured arm and holding my hand into my view. Unable to look elsewhere, I was forced to stare at the greenish colour running within my veins. It was moving, the colour I meant. It was slowly making its way up my arms.

"You seemed familiar with that youka. There's no way you wouldn't know."

"My…I absolutely hadn't the slightest idea. In honest truth I haven't…meet her in 7 years." I chuckled.

"If you really want me to leave…then very well. I'll–" Just when I was about to release my clone, I suddenly felt a heavy pressure slamming against me. I nearly choked upon that. I held my breath, my eyes slowly trailing up to Rikuo who was staring down at me even more intense gaze than before.

"What will you do when you return?"

He suddenly asked as I felt another beat of sweat rolling down my forehead. But I wasn't sweating of the pain…but from the ridiculous amount of fear Rikuo was releasing around us. The darkness of his fear is wrapping around me. "What…I ask…are you doing?" I tried to fake out a laugh, but I couldn't find myself to.

Rikuo didn't answer but just stared at me in silence. I couldn't help but tremble upon his fear that was crawling over my skin. I quickly tried to release my clone, but I found myself without the strength to. My real body…I can't feel it.

Rikuo's fear has completely isolated my clone out of my real body's reach.

"What's this now…? First you're telling me to return…now you're preventing me to leave?"

"Not until you can promise me." He suddenly said as I narrowed my eyes at him.

"…Promise?"

"On the next sakura's bloom, come to Kantou."

"…Excuse me?" I mumbled softly, wondering if this guy has lost a screw to his head somewhere within these 5 years. "Why should…I promise such ridiculous thing…Rikuo-sama?" I questioned, but gotten no reply.

"That kind of thing…I won't promise you."

I turned him down flatly. "Then I won't let you return." "I'm dying here." I told him, my panting growing heavier by the seconds. I wasn't joking. I could literally feel the poison that's flowing throughout my veins.

'_This man…'_

"What difference would it make? You're going to die even if you return." He said sternly.

'_Why does he know?'_

"Making such expression…will ruin your face…" I said, trying to change the subject, but he completely ignored me.

"You didn't plan on living longer than tonight, isn't that right?"

"I have no idea what…"

I was about to say – but when I saw the look in his eyes, I faintly smiled instead. "What…will you do about it?" I asked him. "First you urged me to go back, now you're locking me here…in this…" I mumbled, trailing off as I stared at his visible fear that is acting as a prison to prevent me from leaving.

"I don't recall…ever telling you anything about this…and you even know the fact that a clone cannot recover…"

"I have a new alliance clan. Coincidently they have a doji subordinate."

Rikuo replied and I smirked at that. "I see…another doji." I mumbled softly to myself. "Been years…since I last saw one..." I could feel the heaviness of my eyelids growing. "…What would you do now, _Supreme Commander_?" I asked him. "Keep me here and I'll die…let me return and I'll still die." "The decision is up to you." Rikuo replied, but I only snort out a laugh.

"Really…?" I mumbled softly, staring at his fear that Rikuo seemed to have no plan on releasing.

"Then I think I'll stay…I was planning to since the beginning anyways."

I whispered before looking up at the full moon. "It's a very boring place for a rotting corpse…the place where my real body rested…" I told him in a soft voice. "If you have…problem with corpse, then you can leave me here. The…The moon is better to view alone." I coughed again, feeling as though something was stuck in my lungs despite the fact that this body has no organs.

"I won't let you say farewell." Rikuo spoke after a long while, his grip tightening over me.

At that, I only smiled more.

"Then you're just being cruel." I told him softly.

"I no longer…have a place…to run to." I turned my eyes towards the moon that was beginning to peer out from the clouds. "I have already…lived long enough." My head slowly tilted down, my gaze landing at Rikuo's lantern resting in my arms as I spoke.

I slowly ran my weak fingers down the paper surface of the lantern. "_If you can find me, I'll submit to you_. Are you going back on our deal?" I heard as my fingers froze half way from fully caressing the broken thing.

"You…considered that a deal?" I laughed weakly, carefully not to overdo myself to cause anymore unnecessary pain. "Those are…merely words I said on a whim."

"But a deal's a deal."

Rikuo pushed on. At that, I broke into a heavier laughter. I could feel the pain beating beneath my skin, but I didn't care. "Then that's too bad…_He _saw…what this body of mine really is…he won't be tricked anymore." I whispered as I remember the colour of that eye embedded deeply in Jorougumo's soul. "_He_ will find me…way before you." I told him, and I could tell that he wasn't pleased by the news.

In fact…he seemed pissed.

"Who is this _he_ you speak of?"

"Someone…you'll never meet."

I replied. But that moment, I suddenly felt a hand grabbing hold of the back of my head. My head was being pushed up…or his head was leaning towards me. I didn't know which, but our faces were drawn to each other and our lips met.

I could feel it perfectly, his soft lips against my hard cold ones. It was a strange sensation I couldn't describe…never had I have a kiss that felt so…strangely warm. So shock by his action, I couldn't find myself to react. I didn't know what to do for the first time in my life. In normal circumstances, I would have immediately pushed him away…but I didn't find myself to hate this contact.

I didn't dislike it…the kiss.

It was almost as though I…

"You're always like this," Rikuo spoke the minute he pulled away, "taking everything onto yourself." I didn't look up to him, for that I didn't know what emotion I am supposed to make. My gaze was down, locked against the broken lantern in my arms.

A droplet of water then fell down upon my arm, followed by another.

And another.

Soon, the two of us were bathed within the August shower.

Neither of us moved.

Rikuo just stood as still as a log while I rested silently in his arm. For once in my life, I found the silence uncomfortable – almost frustrating. Yet I didn't know what I was frustrated of.

"When will you trust me?"

Rikuo asked, being the first to break the silence.

_Trust_

Another alien word.

Another word I don't quite understand. "Again…again, again…You people…love speaking these strange words…and alien language." I mumbled softly as I felt a droplet of warm water sliding down my cheek. But I knew…that was only the droplets from the heaven, heated by the summer air.

"The poison. Do you know the antidote for it?"

Rikuo asked; shifting the subject away as my grip tightened over the lantern. "…I do." I mumbled softly as Rikuo's grip on me loosened almost as though he relaxed himself.

"I'll be waiting in Kantou when the sakura blooms."

He suddenly said as I gritted my teeth, my frustration already reached the tip of Fuji Mountain. "Didn't I say I won't be going?" I snapped. Because I shouted so loudly, I had strained my throat causing blood to splatter out of my mouth. But I don't care. I don't care anymore. I was sick of trying to hold this stupid smile. The stupid act I put up to hide the fact of how petrified I was seeing that eye again.

The eye that made me remembered that face of that monster.

_I wanted to die._

Yet this man…was being my obstacles. He doesn't understand. He doesn't understand a thing about me.

"You don't understand a thing!"

_In reality, I knew that I was the one who wouldn't let him understand. _

_But I couldn't hold it in anymore. _

"Do you know how irritating you are?"

_I knew I was just lashing out my anger to him, but I didn't care. After all, I'm not a good person. I was used to it…playing the role of the villain of the story. _

"Speaking as if you know me when we only met for two years…who do you think you are? If you want to mettle to my life so much why don't you do me a favor and disappear from my sight!"

No…that wasn't what I wanted to say.

That wasn't at all…yet, what exactly do I want to say?

_I…really don't know anything anymore. _

_The strange feeling trapped within my chest, words that are itching at the tip of my tongue to be said. But what do I really wanted to say? What exactly do I want from this man? Why do I even bother with him? None of these questions could I find an answer to. _

_The usual mocking smirk that I would put on my face…even that I forgotten how to make. _

_My anger didn't last long – when a deep chuckle suddenly sliced through my words like a knife. _

"What…What's so funny?"

I hissed, glaring upon those crimson eyes that laughed at the sight of me. "So you get angry when you're afraid." Rikuo spoke in amusement as my eyes widened. "What did you say?" I snapped, but only to feel a hand gently pressing my head against his shoulder.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?"

He asked, but something was wrong.

His voice…it changed slightly.

The usual hardness of his tone grew a bit softer…and the way of speech also changed slightly. "You're…" I whispered, my eyes slowly trailing up his tall figure. The first thing that caught my eyes was the soft brownish colour of hair instead of the white. The length of the hair didn't change, but the change in colour said all I needed to know.

"I'm glad to see you again, Miu."

He spoke, turning down to me as I found myself staring into his soft chocolate brown eyes. "The sakura…you'll come won't you?" "Wha…Didn't you hear a thing I said?" I told him.

At that, Rikuo only smiled more.

"Then I'll defeat the one who you're running from."

"What?"

I whispered before noticing how Rikuo's expression suddenly grew serious. "If I defeat him, you won't have a reason to hide anymore." "And how would you do that when you don't even know who he is?" I asked him back. "That spider youkai back there…" Rikuo began as I felt my heart skipped a beat.

"I can easily catch her."

"You…" I coughed out a bit more blood to clear my throat.

"You think…you can catch her…? You, a human?"

"I can." Rikuo replied confidently.

"If you promise to come when the sakura blooms, I promise won't look into the matter." _'This man…'_ I thought in slight surprise…surprise at how cunning he had grown to become. When I saw him, I had expected things to work out more easily against this _wimp_…but it looks like I was terribly mistaken.

"All…I have to do is come…right?"

I mumbled, not even sure myself why I agreed to such ludicrous term. Within the pattering sounds of rain, I could hear the sound of my breaking body. The two sounds were synchronizing into one.

As my body began to fade, Rikuo pulled me closer to him. "It's a promise then." He spoke softly beside my ear as I listened to the sound of his calming heartbeat. I said nothing. I just leaned upon him, my cold, crumbling body absorbing on his warmth.

"You really are…"

My voice trailed off, unable to speak anymore as I felt my energy drained from me. The world before my eyes began morphing, turning into nothing but pure darkness.

_You really are…_

_**Someone special**_


	5. The Land Where We Met

"Miu-san! Miu-san!"

"…What is it?"

"Are you done yet?"

"Almost."

"Miu-san should dress warmer. The weather is still cold right now."

"It's already spring," I pulled aside the curtain of leaves and stepped out from the shadow, "so it is a fine night." I tugged on my new shirt and tight pants called _jeans_.

It was incredibly uncomfortable.

I was amazed how human could wear these things and still be able to move so casually.

"Miu-san looks great!" The voice squeaked as I felt the ball of fluff landing onto my shoulder. "The feeling isn't great I can assure you that." I mumbled softly before grabbing the hat that was hooked on the branch of the willow.

I carefully rolled my hair up and secured it with the hat. "Miu-san are you sure you don't need your wings anymore?" I turned slightly upon that. My eyes trailed to my wings that were lying in the moist dirt. The wings that I had shed were slowly scattering into thousands of feathers

"There is no more need for them here." I replied and with a wave of my finger, a gentle breeze picked up the weightless feathers and blew them into the night.

"Then how will we get down the mountain?"

"We walk." I replied simply as I began taking steps down the rocky path. "Miu-san, Miu-san! The rock! The rock!" The voice screamed beside my ears as I blinked. The minute my weight was leaned forward, I felt the tip of my feet fell into a gap between the rocks.

I fell forward, the center of my balance thrown off. Fortunately, I was able to grab hold of a nearby branch and saved myself from rolling down the steep slope. I heaved out a sigh of frustration before I forcefully tore my bare foot out of the gap.

"Miu-san are you alright? You seemed worn out and you've been spacing out lately." The voice asked in concern.

"Shedding my wings took more energy out of me than I thought." I replied, my eyes glued to the tiny crack at the back of my palm. "Miu-san! Miu-san! Look! A city!" Balancing myself on a couple of rocks, I slowly pushed aside some leaves to clear my view.

True enough, there was a city, though miles away.

The illuminating lights of the city painted the sky, overshadowing the light of the star and leaving only the moon hung over the curtain of night.

Even so far away, I could feel my memories of that city returning to me. A nostalgic city which I could strangely remember every nook and corner of it.

_The city where__**he**__ lives._

"Miu-san? Miu-saaaan-Reow!"

The squeaky voice cried just as I roughly grabbed him by the tail. "How many times have I told you not to interrupt my flashbacks?" I said, holding the creature before me with a smirk of irritation.

"I thought Miu-san was just spacing out again." He defended.

"They're the same thing, Tama*."

I squeezed his tails even more as the Nekotama* yelps. "It's Yama*!" The kid talked back to me. "Tama is good enough for you. A house cat shouldn't be granted names that are bigger than your existent." I snapped before tossing Tama aside and leaped down another rock.

"Devil."

"You are free to leave. I never asked for you to tag along." I said back before feeling Tama leaping back onto my shoulder. "Miu-san you're heartless." "Your compliment is appreciated." I said and then there was no reply from Tama aside from a soft snort.

As I scaled down the mountain, the view of the city grew closer and closer. Soon, we were just at the border between nature and mankind.

"The city! We're at the city!" Tama exclaimed happily.

Just when he was about to jump off my shoulder and dive into the light like a moth, I quickly stopped him by grabbing his tails. "Ouch! Miu-san! They're coming off! My tails are seriously coming off!" "Who said we are going in there?" I sighed before taking a step back into the shadow.

"Eh? We're not? Then why did Miu-san disguised as a human and even gotten rid of your wings?" The loudmouth questioned, but I gave him no reply. I just flung him aside and began taking the long way around the city. I carefully stepped around the shadows, avoiding views from both ground and sky.

However, I wasn't able to get much further when I stumbled and fell onto my knees. "Miu-san it's already the 8th month. Miu-san's body isn't going to last much longer." Tama said as I felt his tiny paws gently massaging my back as I tried to catch my breath.

"Miu-san, maybe we should leave? I mean, we could so go to Kyoto or Osaka…or anywhere you like. Why do we have to go through so much trouble coming here and sneak around?"

"…Because there is someone I must meet." I spoke in the middle of my coughs.

"I need to find him…before my time comes."

_It was just like this night; the very night when I left this place and vowed never to return to. The place where I had this so call __**home**__. _

_A place where I had these things called companions. _

_This is the place – on this land, it was the only place where I felt…alive. _

_And also…_

"Someone Miu-san must find?"

"_**I'll be waiting in Kantou when the Sakura blooms."**_

_The very place where I broke a promise to a special person I made 2 years back. _

I stared at some sakura trees that passed by us. I can see the pink buds under the dim light of the moon, waiting impatiently to cover the land in pink carpet. Very soon, the sakura will once again bloom. _Would he be waiting?_ I couldn't help but to find myself dwelling upon this question. "…It's none of my business anyways." I mumbled to myself.

That's right, if he wanted to blame anyone, he should blame on his own naivety.

After all…

**Promises are meant to be broken.**

"Did you say something, Miu-san?" Tama who had been walking along side of me asked.

"No…nothing at all." I mumbled softly, not even care if the stupid cat could hear me.

"So…who is this person Miu-san's looking for?" Tama asked curiously as he climbed up my body and nested himself on the top of my head. "Miu-san's lover? But – that can't be right?" I heard him muttered under his muzzle, sounding completely chilled by the thought.

"I don't look like someone who would have a lover?"

I said back, deciding to go along with it seeing how I had nothing better to do. "Miu-san may be beautiful but your personality seriously suck-PUREOW!" Tama's cry of pain was like melody to my ear as I felt the extra weight flung off my head. I felt my body grew lighter, my neck relieved from stress.

I never turn to see where the Nekotama had flown off to nor did I care. I just carried on with my pace, enjoying this rare silent I haven't been able to enjoy for what felt like eternity now.

"They…should be blooming soon." I mumbled to myself, finding my eyes drifting back to the sakura trees again.

I could see myself drinking under the rain of petals; drowning myself within the soft ray of the moon. My body relaxed upon the very thought.

However – something was missing.

Even if it was just a mere thought, I knew that something was missing from that seemingly flawless scene.

_Something was missing from my imagination. _

Peace quickly fled from my body as irritation began dominating over me once again.

I wasn't irritated from being unable to solve the mystery behind the empty holes in my mind, but the opposite.

I was irritated because I knew what was missing…

The very thing I didn't want to remember.

_That was what truly irritated me at that time._

"Miu-san! Miu-san wait up!"

Hearing Tama's voice calling for me, I slowly turned to see him leaping through the bushes and quickly returning to my side. I secretly released a sigh, feeling the heat within my chest ceasing.

This was the only use this cat ever had aside from giving me a headache and turning into my personal punch bag. Thanks to his usual loudmouth and annoying personality, he could keep my consciousness intact with this earth.

Whenever I needed rid my mind off _him_ that is.

"Miu-san something wrong?" Tama asked, noticing how the usual smirk I carried was gone from my lips. "No" I paused in silence, my eyes drifting into the abyss before saying, "if you don't want to get swallow, stay close." I noticed how Tama's muzzle was about to part to question the meaning behind my words. However, he did even get a chance to when a heavy blast of mist suddenly swept through the land, heading towards us.

I quickly grabbed Tama by the tails and dashed behind a tree. I dug my heels into the dirt, my free hand clutch onto a branch as the heavy wind attempted to blow the two of us away. The wind quickly ceased, leaving behind heavy layers of mist that filled the area.

I wouldn't find myself to see anything; not even my own hand that was only centimeters away.

"What's with this mist?" I heard Tama shouted, his tails wiggling around in my hand. "It's most likely their way of protecting themselves from enemies and human discovery." I replied as I loosened my grip, allowing Tama to climb up my arm and rest upon my shoulder.

"Who's _them_?" He asked, obviously curious at the current situation we're in. But as usual, I gave him no reply. Thanks to the past _disciplines_, the kid dares not to push the topic any further.

I dug my hand into my pocket and pulled out crumbled piece of paper. "Let see…" I mumbled with my lips curled up into a smirk. A gentle breeze of wind then began swirling around my hand. The wind then steadily grew stronger, engulfing us. In a matter of second, the mist of a meter's radius around us was cleared, allowing us to actually see something.

"Miu-san, is that the map from that youkai Miu-san threat-"

"Whom I had kindly asked for. Yes. It is." The moment I spoke those words, I felt the pack of fur on my shoulder shifted. "_Kindly asked_…?" Tama's voice quivered in a terrified and obviously doubtful tone. It would have seem the little _incident _that occurred when we first stepped foot into Kantou had left quite the impression on him. "Is something the matter?" I asked, glaring slightly at him from the corner of my eyes.

The smirk on my lips was radiating like the setting sun.

Catching the look plastered over my face, Tama shook his little head furiously. "N-Nothing!" He gasped and content with his reply, my glare faded. "We were heading north so it should be…" I waved my arm as the mist before us was suddenly sliced apart by a gust of wind. I twirled my finger around as the wind before us circulated, forming a tunnel through the heavy mist.

I then began making my way through my tunnel of wind. I repeated this procedure as we moved through the forest. I didn't know how long we had walked for, but by the time I looked up to the moon, I found the night had lightened up.

"Miu-san, maybe we should rest? Your body won't last like this." Tama said in worry, clearing noticing the soft pants that were escaping my lips.

"There's no need."

I huffed softly as I stepped through the last patch of the tall grass. "Because we're here." I walked into the clearing that was the only place in this forest free of this unnatural mist.

"What is this place?" Tama gasped, leaping down my shoulder as he stared at the opening before us. Within the meadow across us lied an ancient castle that looked as though it was built in the Heian period*.

"Intruders!"

"The enemies are over there!"

Voices boomed as youkai began appearing out of the castle and forest. "Enemy?" Tama gasped as he leaped back onto my shoulder. "Miu-san, I think they're misunderstanding something." Tama told me while I just stared calmly at the massive amount of youkai before us.

"Who are you? What business do you have here?"

This Ippon-datara* demanded as he approached.

"Hey, we were just–" Tama hissed, but I quickly raised a hand and silenced him.

"Relax." I said softly, to both the youkai and Tama. I raised both of my hands up to the side my head just to prove that I meant no harm. "I didn't come here to fight – or rather; I don't have that much energy to waste anymore." My eyes shifted to the crack upon my left hand. The crack that was no larger a blade of grass had already grown down to my elbow.

"Then what are you here for? Without knowing the location of Kiyohime-sama's* castle, there's no way you can just wander in here."

I gazed back to the Ippon-datara and smiled. "I came to find a man." I replied before pulling my hat off my head. My stream of white hair scattered down my back, my silvery eyes revealed to them within the breaking dawn.

Upon the sight of me, gasps erupted from around the youkai. _'Just as I thought…'_ I smirked at how my prediction was right. Just for the fun of it, I winked to some pathetic youkai that were to my left, easily charming the mindless fools.

"Miu-san, does this look like a good time to play around?" Tama murmured beside my ear. I said nothing but a faint smirk in reply.

"Silver eyes and white hair…" The Ippon-datara spoke softly in almost disbelieve.

"You're a Doji."

"That would be correct." I said as I reached into my hair and pulled out a long white feather. With a flick of my wrist, the quill of my feather sliced through the air and stabbed into the hard soil just inches from the Ippon-datara's toes.

"Won't you call him out? I have a date…with your Commander."

* * *

Tama – in Japan, it is the most common and overused name for house cats.

Nekomata - a bakeneko (shape shifting cat) with a split tail

Yama – means _mountain_

Heian period - is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185

Ippon-datara - a one-legged spirit of the mountains

Kiyohime - a woman who transformed into a serpent-demon out of the rage of unrequited love


	6. Side Chapter: Seven Nights of Blossom

**Special Side Chapter:**

_Mother, how are you right now?_

_I'm sorry that I haven't written to you for so long._

_It's been a year since you left; I'm doing great right now. You don't need to worry about me, because I'm not alone anymore._

_Right now, I have a companion…_

"You stupid thieving cat!"

_It was around the second day of the sakura's bloom when she came into my life._

"Reow!" I cried as I crashed into a trash can.

"You're a hundred years early to steal from me you thieving cat!" The Kibagurui* howled in anger. "H-Hey, isn't this enough? The kid's all bruised up." A Nuribotoke* who has been a bystander for a while spoke, unable to watch anymore. However, the Nuribotoke's kindness only earned himself a punch right in his face from the furious Kibagurui as he flew into the sky and crashed right into an innocent gyoza stand at the opposite side of the street.

Upon the violent scene, whispers began traveling around the youkai as they flooded in to watch what the commotion was about.

"Say your prayers you brat!"

"What…" I coughed and spat out some blood before continuing, "what kind of youkai would pray…?" I choked out more blood, feeling pain rushing throughout my body. But I held on, not wanting to show any expressions this fang freak wanted. "Or do you do something stupid like that? You're just a piece of mouth…you must have a lot to talk about." I hissed, and it was a bad idea for that the Kibagurui looked even angrier than before.

"You damn cat!" He screamed, raising his large hand as I gasped. I quickly shut my eyes, not daring to meet my fate as the light before my eyelids faded.

I waited.

And waited…but strangely, I felt nothing.

"Wha-…What the hell are you doing?" I heard the Kibagurui suddenly screamed. At that, I parted my eyelids slightly for a peak at the situation. The first thing I saw was a single piece of white feather, gliding gracefully by my eyes.

_That was the first time…I met her._

_The being from that other world human fantasizes in._

_She looked as though she had walked out from a picture. A tall woman with long stream of white hair stood with her back straight and her chin up. On her narrow back spawned a large pair of beautiful swan-like wings and silvery eyes that reflected the world before her like a mirror._

She stood gracefully by the hideous Kibagurui side, making her beauty even more radiant. Her fair skin illuminated within the dim light of the lanterns that lit the street. My ears twitched, able to pick up the sounds of gasp and whispers of awe coming from the crowd around us.

With the gasps of bystanders, it confirmed this beautiful woman's existent. It wasn't my imagination.

An angel.

An angel from those human fairytales…it actually exist.

_Yes…that was the day…_

"Who are you! W-What are you doing?" The Kibagurui shouted as my eyes trailed up to the woman's other pale and delicate hand that was sliding up the Kibagurui's head. While one hand was gripping against the Kibagurui's wrist, she was rubbing the side of his head with another. Though despite what the Kibagurui says, he never struggled against her.

The Kibagurui's cheeks were completely flushed.

Even he was enchanted by the angel's beauty.

"Who am I?" She spoke softly, her voice almost sounded like melody. A surreal voice…I had never heard anything so beautiful in my entire life. Then…a crackling sound of bone began disturbing the silence.

_The very day…_

"E-Eh?" I mumbled softly when I blinked. I raised my paw, rubbing my eyes and looked back to the angel's face. "Eh?" I couldn't help but repeated. That angelic face that was glistening a moment ago was now unimaginably dark.

Her silvery eyes were narrowed into a dark glare, her rosy lips curved up in a smirk. I didn't know if my head got messed up when I received the blow, but I swear I was beginning to see this strange menacing aura wrapped around her _pure _figure.

"I happened to be a victim…" she grasped the Kibagurui's hair with the very same hand that was gently placed there seconds ago, "of that fool you send flying into." She suddenly snapped. Then with a thrust, she smashed the Kibagurui head first into the ground. The impact was so hard that the cement had crumbled, forming a crater around them.

_…Where I met the reincarnation of a _**devil**.

I stared with jaw dropped just like all the other youkai as the Kibagurui's body went limp…either dead or unconscious. "Filthy dull fang." The angel snapped as she dusted her dress seeming to be made of silk. "U-Um!" I mumbled in my throat as I struggled to speak.

Hearing my voice, the angel slowly turned as her silver eyes reflected my wrecked image. "Umm…Thank you for saving me…" I thanked with a smile. But my smile didn't last long when I flinched at the cold gaze she was giving me.

"…Did I save you?" She said uncaringly as I sweat dropped, unable to comprehend where that angel that flew in a moment ago went. Now that I gotten out of trance, I noticed how her white dress was stained by something…something like sauce.

"These gyoza* are inedible now thanks to you." The angel said before she suddenly pulled out a plate of smashed gyoza and threw it onto the Kibagurui. I stared, speechless as she crouched down beside the Kibagurui and began searching through his kimono. A second later, she pulled out a wallet.

She fumbled around with the wallet, pulling out every bill she could find, leaving the coins untouched. After she completely emptied out the Kibagurui's wallet, she casually tossed it away and shot it perfectly into the garbage can by the alley that was within her blind spot.

"Hey kid." She suddenly spoke as I felt myself stiffened, knowing that she was calling for me. "Yes?" I whimpered, wondering if I will be suffering the same fate as that stupid mouth. The angel raised her hand and dropped a couple of bills right in front of me.

"To not even teach you simple things as not to steal, what a disgraceful parents you must have."

She spoke coldly with a gaze that was obviously looking down upon me. "I…I don't want to hear it from someone who's also doing something so disgraceful!" I snapped; pointing my paw to the money clutched in her glass-made hand.

"These are fees for the damage he did. Don't compare it to thievery you pocket picking rodent."

"_Rodent?_" I hissed.

"I don't care what you talk about me but I won't forgive you if you talk bad about my mother!" "Oh? Did I say anything wrong?" She snapped. "To let her own kid go around pocket picking, your mother must be shameless."

"Shut up!" I screamed and flung myself at her.

I raised my paw, tightening my muscles as my claws stretched out. I slash my claws at her, aiming to scratch up that beautiful piece of work painted on her face.

However, the devil just smirked at my attempt.

With a simple side step, she dodged my attack. Before I could react to what had happened within that millisecond, I suddenly felt a strong force squeezing down at my tails. "Reow!" I screamed, hung upside-down with my tails feeling as though they're going to be rip off any moment.

"Weaklings shouldn't bare fangs."

The devil said as she lifted me up so that I was eyelevel with her. I hissed at her. Although her face was in range, I couldn't find myself to do anything. The flesh at the joints of my tails and my tailbones felt so painful that I feel as though if I move, my tails will really be pulled out for good.

"What's wrong? Not going to scratch me?"

The woman taunted, waving me around as I felt the pain at the joints of my tailbones increased. "Y-You!" I snapped as I thrust my claws paw at her. But she just simply tilted her head as my paw entered her stream of silky white hair.

The world around me spun as sharp wind sliced through my layers of fur.

By the time I could react, I felt my back slamming against the hard cement ground. I choked out a cough, feeling the air knocked out of my lungs as I struggled to breathe. "Weaklings shouldn't go around picking fights. You'll only make a fool out of yourself." I heard the devil said mockingly.

"Farewell, little thieving cat."

That taunting voice echoed against my eardrum. When I quickly looked up to her, I found that the winged woman had disappeared, leaving behind only traces of feathers.

"D-…Damn it!"

I screamed as I slapped the money away from me. I quickly glanced around the crowds before at the empty sky. Groaning in pain, I slowly pulled myself onto my paws. As I moved, I could feel immense pain digging at my back and tailbones.

The Kibagurui was still lying unconscious in the crater and the crowd went back to minding their own businesses. "Damn it!" I cursed again, my knees unable to support my weight as I collapsed back down.

I never felt so pissed in my entire life since that day.

But I wasn't angry because of my weak body.

I was angered by that woman's word.

And worst, I couldn't do anything about it.

When she badmouthed about mother, I couldn't do anything at all. I couldn't defend mother's honor. It was completely infuriating. I laid there, my face against the cement as I felt tears dripping down the tip of my nose.

_Later that night, I left the city._

I isolated myself into the forest, not in the mood to even see a single youkai or ayakashi let alone talk. I scaled up the mountain, leaping over rocks and roots as the moon rotated over my head. After hours of walk, I finally reached the top.

The darkness before my eyes was filled with pink.

Before me, the sakura were blossoming vividly under the soft ray of moonlight. I smiled slightly. Forgetting the previous anger, I quickly rushed under the countless sakura trees that grew on the top of this mountain.

**_Our_** mountain.

However, it wasn't long when my memories of this place shattered by the sounds of laughter and smell of food. I followed the scent and the source of the sound.

Soon, I came into a little opening where the air was lit by the flickering camp fire. Around the fire sat 4 Onmyoujis, drinking, laughing loudly, and disturbing the nature's air. "They're…!" I gasped upon one of the familiar crest on the Onmyoujii's clothe. My irises that were rounded in the night immediately reverted back to its slit form.

I bared my fangs, growingly softly as my claws dug into the earth.

"Bastards!"

I screamed, my hind legs kicking off the dirt as I charged towards the group. But before I could expose myself before them, I felt a force grasping my tails and something cold slapping down against my muzzle to trap me in silence.

Everything before my eyes was then a blur as silence filled the air.

"Hey, did you hear something?"

A voice of one of the Onmyouji spoke as I quickly gotten over the dizziness only to find my four paws bounded by a single marble white hand. There was also a similar hand clasped over my muzzle that had been preventing me from speaking.

_'What the heck?' _I thought as I tried sniff at the hand that was covering my nose.

There was nothing.

This hand…it's clean. Too clean.

Every living beings whether youkai or human all carries their own individual scent. There are no exceptions. That was what mother had told me.

However…this hand, I couldn't smell anything coming from it aside from the mellow scent of liquor.

"It must be your imagination."

"Guess you're right, hahaha!"

I heard the Onmyouji laughed casually as I felt blood began racing through my veins again. I immediately began trashing around, trying to free myself from whomever's grip this was. However, the person or youkai had a firm grip on me as I found us speeding down the mountain.

"Hmm! Hmmwaa! Let go!" I snapped, tearing my muzzle free before sinking my fangs into the hand. The space around us then froze as I felt my ears twitch upon a strange crackling sound. "What is this?" I snapped, quickly pulling my fang out and spat out two tiny little white feathers that were caught on my tongue.

When I looked down, I found myself staring at that same white hand that was now like a broken glass vase with the edge of the crack revealing tiny bits of feather.

"Looks like you didn't learn a lesson." That familiar voice spoke before the hands that were bounding my paws disappeared. With a flip, I landed gracefully onto my feet and looked up to find that it was the winged woman earlier this evening.

"You!"

I hissed as she plucked out another feather from the…the _crack _I made on her hand. "Don't you know those Onmyouji are from the Tsugimoto Shrine. Are you trying to dig your own grave?" "Why do you care?" I spat. Each of my words was dipped in venom.

"I don't." The woman replied simply. "I was just enjoying my sake under this beautiful night and the newly bloomed sakura. If you want to die, die elsewhere. Don't contaminate this scenery." "Contaminate?" I hissed at her.

"They're the ones contaminating it! This mountain's…This mountain was my mothers! They're the one who stole it!"

I blurted out of anger. At that, the woman stopped looking at the wound on her hand and gazed down at me for the very first time since our second encounter. "Your mother's?" She mumbled as I felt tears threatening to fall.

"This mountain used to be ruled by my mother! But then those Onmyouji from the Tsugimoto Shrine came! They lied about my mother eating humans who come to this mountain when we never so much as to touch a strand of a human's hair! They killed her just because they wanted this mountain!"

I cried, my body quivering from anger at the memories of my mother's corpse at the hands of those Onmyouji.

"…And?" The woman spoke after a long moment of silence. "What do you want? A pat on your back being told _oh you poor pitiful child_? Unfortunately for you, sympathizing isn't my specialty." The woman said as I looked up to see a smirk playing at her lips.

My eyes were wide open, filled with disbelieve at this heartless woman.

How could any youkai with a look like that have such personality?

How could anything like her exist in this world?

"Don't flatter yourself! I wouldn't want your stinking sympathy!" I screamed at her. "I can't imagine any fools feeling flattered over such pity thing." She said back as she began walking away.

"If you want to die on this mountain, do so 7 days later when the sakura withers. It will be a shame to let such beautiful flower be stain by your worthless blood."

Just as she said that, I flicked my tails, hitting a pebble off the ground and sending it flying towards her. Without even looking, the woman shifted her wing and slapped the pebble away with those pure white feathers.

"I don't care what your situation is, but I absolutely hate seeing weaklings like you who looked as though you're the most misfortunate being in this world." The woman huffed. "What? What do you know?" I growled; my fur puffed as the muscles all over my body tightened.

"Do you think killing those human would return the time that you lost? Don't kid yourself. In this world, there are millions who suffered greater than you by ten fold." Woman spat as she began walking off as her large wings stretched.

"If you have time to ruin yourself in your self pity, why don't you stop and think what you really should be doing, you dirty cat."

Those were the last words she said as her silvery eyes pulled away from me. Then with a flap, she took off into the air and disappeared into the horizon.

_For the rest of that night, I didn't move from that spot._

_I was so shocked by that woman's word that I had no idea what I should do._

_When I stopped and thought over the woman's word, I suddenly realized that perhaps that was exactly what I've been doing. I had been so caught up in mother's death that my life never moved for the past 4 months._

_It was strange…to be actually taking a stranger's talk seriously. But everything she said to me I couldn't help but find sense in. And surprisingly just as she said, I think I really may have felt sorry for myself of everything that had happened._

_However, I couldn't find the answer to the meaning behind the last words she said before she left._

_On the 5th night since the sakura bloomed, a shower of rain sweep across the land along with strange gossip._

"A typhoon?" I said as the old Keukegen* at the gyoza stand nodded. The street was in silent. The air around us was moist and filled with nothing but pattering rhythm of the rain. "It seems like it hit pretty hard, though it was strange how we felt nothing here. I heard it was so strong that the Tsugimoto Shrine was torn to the ground_._" Said the Keukegen.

"And what's really surprising was that none of the human that was in it at that time was actually hurt. What was now at the scene was nothing but broken pieces of wood and strange white feathers scattered over the area."

"Feathers?"

"The human believed that was an _angel _who had saved those human's lives for that_ no youkai nor bird could bare such beautifully white feathers_." The Keukegen laughed as he arranged the gyozas onto a plate. "Humans are silly aren't they? Believing in strange myths like that." Keukegen chuckled as he placed the plate of gyoza in front of me.

"What's wrong? Aren't you hungry?"

"Ah…I don't have any money." I mumbled softly, feeling my stomach rumbled at the sweet aroma of the food. "Oh don't worry about it! You guys paid me more than the money I needed for the damage fee of my stand after all." "Damage fee?" I whispered softly, not exactly understanding what the Keukegen meant.

"Of course I meant that Doji from few nights ago."

"Doji? What's that?" I mumbled softly, though for some reason, I felt as though I already knew the answer. But still, I wanted to confirm it…

"That youkai with wings of course. You are such a lucky child, to have a gentle beauty like that for companion-Ah, hey! Where are you going?"

_I left for the mountains immediately. For the first time in my life, I didn't felt the water that were seeping through my fur bothering me at all. I probably didn't even felt it at that time as I raced under each and every sakura, seeking for any sighs of feather._

"She's…not here…" I panted softly, completely worn out by all the running as I stared down at my mud filled coat. I glanced around the area again, finding no sign of living soul anywhere.

"Maybe she left already…" I mumbled to myself, feeling a strange sadness and regret itching within me. Thinking back, those rough words she was spiting in my face before might could simply have been warnings for me. And the money she tossed at me…perhaps it wasn't from mockery as I thought it was.

_She might have actually been a kind person after all…was what I thought as I soaked myself in the rain._

_Yet I was being too paranoid and even bit her._

"…Ugh?" I mumbled softly, snapping out of trance as I suddenly felt the air around me dry. "The rain stopped…?" I wondered out loud to myself, but that wasn't it. I could still hear the pattering sounds of rain hitting against the dirt and puddle. When I shifted my gaze up from the ground, I found the rain still dripping down from the grey sky.

I glanced at myself, then at the scenery before me. There wasn't a droplet of rain at my side. Curious by this, I lifted myself and immediately discover the reason. Right above me, I found myself staring at a large, outstretched wing that was hovering over my head.

On the tree branch, there she was.

She sat elegantly, her long legs dangling over the branch as she held a sake cup within her pale fingers. Her silver eyes were staring into the horizon, unblinking as she took a sip from the liquid in her cup that was mixed together with the tears of heaven.

"You're…" I whispered softly, but stopped when I realized I didn't know what I should say. Thank you? But then, what was I thanking her for? I drowned myself in silent while she just acted oblivious to my existent and continued on enjoying her scenery.

Neither of us spoke in the rain.

Strangely, I didn't feel uncomfortable. I actually found myself to like this awkward silent. Giving up on finding the right speech for the angel above me, I laid myself into the mud and stared at the patterns of raindrop at a puddle before me.

Minutes passed…and then hours.

I didn't know how long, but both of us just remained as we are.

When the sky began to lighten, the shower of rain had finally ceased. The cloud were cleared from the sky, revealing dawn that was approaching the land covered by a thin layer of mist.

Upon hearing the sound of flapping, I opened my eyes just in time to see the angel landing soundlessly onto the ground before me. She folded her wings, as my eyes caught droplets of water sliding down her beautiful coat of feathers.

She said nothing but giving me a quick glance with her silvery eyes and began walking off.

I stared after her back, then back to the sakura trees behind me.

"What I should do from now on…" I mumbled softly to myself as I smiled, finally finding my answer. "Sorry mother. I won't make you worry anymore." I mumbled softly, taking one last sniff at the sakura filled air before dashing after the woman who helped me move on…

_I won't do anymore stupid things._

_I am also not alone anymore._

_From now on, I promise you I will live out my life to the fullest._

_I want to live protecting her…the one whose life was bounded to misery. I don't meant to sound like boasting, but as a youkai who knew what it felt like being pushed to the edge, I don't want to see her like that as well._

_I knew that she, Miu-san, is much stronger than I am. Miu-san is much older than me with more experiences in life than me. And that Miu-san has much stronger resolve than any youkai I've ever know. I know she doesn't need a youkai as weak as me to protect her…but as I tagged along with her, I discovered that Miu-san may not be the person she seemed to be._

_Miu-san speaks sarcastically and acts like a sadist most of the time…but there was something off I can't really explain. Sometimes, Miu-san would gaze towards a certain direction no matter where we were with eyes that mother had when mother was missing father._

_So I wanted to stay with Miu-san._

_That's why, I don't think I will be able to visit you much, mother._

_I won't stand still anymore. There's no need to worry about me anymore._

**"Tama, what are you doing?"**

A voice snapped as I jumped slightly and quickly turned to find Miu-san. She was beneath a sakura tree that was already filled with tiny buds. Miu-san stood with her wings neatly folded behind her back, her long silvery hair fluttering gently in the wind. Miu-san's long marble white arms were crossed, her mirror-like eyes reflecting my image.

"Miu-san!" I gasped softly. But then my eyes immediately caught the tiny stains of crimson upon the edge of her lavender dress. I didn't need to sniff it to know that it was blood. It was a scenario that I had gotten used to after 2 years of traveling with Miu-san. However, I never learn the reason as to why there were youkai and ayakashi after Miu-san night in and night out.

_It was one of the conditions Miu-san had placed if I wanted to stay with her._

_The condition was that I can never question about Miu-san's background or anything that would be happening around us._

"A letter?" Miu-san said as she quietly walked over. "It's nothing!" I gasped, quickly looking back at the letter that was still burning in the fire. "It's just…it's for my mother." I said but at that, I noticed Miu-san's wings twitched slightly.

"You…actually believe in those human customs?" Miu-san spoke in a dull tone with a gaze that clearly indicates how she was looking down at me. That very same gaze she held when we first met.

"Leave me alone!" I snapped, quickly blowing the fire and tossing more sticks into it in hopes of having my letter burnt faster. "You nagged at my back for three full days, delaying my schedule and making a long way trip here just to burn a worthless letter?" I flinched slightly at the irritated tone Miu-san didn't even bother hiding.

"It's not worthless! It's for my mother to know how I'm doing!"

"And should I care?" Miu-san spoke in such a cold tone that I couldn't help but shiver. I could even feel the invisible weight slamming against my back. "N-No…" I mumbled softly. "You have five seconds. Late and I'll leave you here." "Ah! Miu-san!" I gasped as I quickly turned to see my letter burned out just in time. Quickly putting out the fire with the nearby mud, I rushed after Miu-san and leaped onto my special spot at her shoulder.

_This time…_

"Even though Miu-san is an angel, you sure don't act like the ones from those human's story."

I mumbled, too carried away by the moment to even realize what I was saying.

**"UREOW!"**

I screamed as I slammed face first into the ground. "I thought I told you that if you compare me with any of those mythical beings from those silly human's fantasies again I will give you away to that broken down Tsugimoto Shrine." "B-But you have their wings!" I argued back, only to by pulled up by my tails…the typical place where Miu-san seemed to grown a liking to grasp.

"Reow! Miu-san! They're going gonna snap! They're really gonna snap!"

_I will live on and with my life, I will protect –_

"From your words, it seems like you're suggesting that Doji are rip-offs from those human fantasy, Tama."

"No, I don't mean that…And my name is Yama!"

_–Those unfortunate souls who crossed paths and fell under the unreasonable judgment of this devil._

"Hey Miu-san, Miu-san. So where will we be going in such a rush? Can you tell me now?"

"I have a date, in Kantou."

* * *

Kibagurui – a nasty creature with sharp teeth, and can pull his entire body together to form a giant floating, fanged mouth

Nuribotoke – an animated corpse with blackened flesh and dangling eyeballs

Keukegen – a creature made of hair

Gyoza - Chinese dumpling (Jiaozi). Known as potstickers in America


	7. The Crimson Orbs

"Miu-san…exactly what are we doing here?" Tama whispered softly as he rested uncomfortably on the table. His tails were constantly flipping while I just sat idly on the tatami within this wide room.

"Didn't I say that I have a date with their commander?" I replied as I took a sip on the cup of tea I was given. "Yeah, but who is this commander? Miu-san's friend?" Tama asked as I noticed his ear twitching, indicating that he must have heard something.

"Friend?"

I whispered that unfamiliar word. A smirk made its way over my lips. A few seconds later, I caught the sound of rapid footsteps stomping down at the wooden hall. The sound grew louder and louder. It wasn't long before we both saw a shadow looming on the other side of the shoji*.

"He's more like…"

I turned my gaze up just as the shoji slid open. The darkness of the night was revealed to us. The first thing my eyes caught was that long white hair…fluttering within the gentle wind.

White hair, identical to mine.

"A lackey."

"A Doji?" Tama gasped in shock. His dilated eyes locked upon the white wings that sprout from the man's back. I stared at the man, our silver eyes locked together for seconds until I noticed his advances…

"Miu-ama!"

That voice I haven't heard for years echoed against my eardrums. I found him flying through the air within this suddenly tight space. He was coming right at me. I did nothing. I merely sat quietly and waited. Once he was close enough, I performed a forty degree lean to my right. Unable to stop, the moron flew right past me and crashed into the wall. I ignored him, not even bothering to give him another glance as I took another sip at my tea.

"Miu-san…This is _that_ commander Miu-san was talking about?" Tama asked, gapping at the figure that was lying behind the two of us. "Kiyohime's Assassination Troop Commander, that's him." I replied softly, ignoring the look I was earning from the Nekotama at the mention of _assassination_. Thanks to the heavy impact, a couple of feathers had loosened themselves from the Doji's wing and were scattered all over the air.

"16 years and you haven't changed, Nobuyuki*." I finally greeted, waving my hand to brush a feather out of my view.

"And you've grown more beautiful in these 16 years." I heard Nobuyuki laughed before taking note at these arms that were coming around me. I sat still, doing absolutely nothing as I felt those pair of arms wrapping around me. A head then made its way into the nook of my neck, the chin finding its resting spot there.

"M-Miu-sa-ah!" Tama gasped, spoken too quickly that he bit his own tongue.

"Miu." Nobuyuki spoke softly beside my ear. I didn't move, nor did I show any response to his existent. I just sat, feeling the warmth of his body pressed against my broken back. After seconds, I heard a sigh heaved its way through Nobuyuki's lips.

His arms that were around me hesitated, but were unwrapped from me.

"You're so cold." Nobuyuki said; walking around me and settling down onto the other side of the table. "Hey! Don't ignore me!" Tama hissed, clawing at the table as Nobuyuki's gaze shifted.

"Oh, a Nekotama." Nobuyuki chuckled. "I didn't know you like cats." "I'm not a pet." Tama snapped at Nobuyuki before climbing onto my shoulder. "I don't remember giving you permission to tease my servant." I said coldly.

"S-Servant?" Tama gasped beside my ear, but I ignored him and continued on with my speech. "The next time you call me just by my name I will strangle you." "Yeah, I know. You never liked being called just by your name after all." Nobuyuki replied.

"I simply detest the idea of some stranger calling my name as though he has some connections with me."

"_Stranger _eh?"

He mumbled softly with a bitter expression pasted over his doll like face.

A moment of silence followed.

Within this pressuring air, neither of us spoke. Even Tama seemed to have taken note of the atmosphere and was keeping that loud jaw of his shut. The atmosphere grew heavier and heavier as time passes.

After what felt like hours later, Nobuyuki decided to break the silent. "You're alive." "What do you think?" I softly snapped. But my remark only made Nobuyuki chuckled.

"So Miu-sama, how did you know I was here? My existent shouldn't be known to many."

"The fact that those lesser youkai can tell that I am Doji simply by my hair and eye colour are enough prove that you are here." I said back.

"Miu-san, what do you mean?" Tama asked, completely confused and lost within our conversation.

"What, Miu-sama never told you anything, little Nekotama?" Nobuyuki said as my eyes narrowed directly at him. "Well, it's no surprise you don't know since our race is pretty rare. Even in ancient text, they believe that our white wings are the trademark of our race." "Nobuyuki…" I murmured, displeased at where this conversation was heading to. However, Nobuyuki ignored the warning glances I was signaling him and continued on.

"People and youkai alike believed they could identify us through our white wings. But that's not the case as you can see with Miu-sama here. We can always just clone ourselves and release our wings. So the real trademark of ours…" Nobuyuki raised his hand and held up a long strand of his snow white hair, "are our white hair and silver eyes."

"Nobuyuki." I snapped in a louder tone as Nobuyuki smiles.

"You know…I was doubtful when I saw this, Miu-sama." Nobuyuki spoke after a moment of pause as he placed my feather onto the table. It was the very same feather I had threw at the Ippon-datara's feet. "I didn't think I'd live again to see this. I'm glad to see you still alive and well." "Unfortunately, I can't find myself to agree with the latter part." I replied as I gently placed my cup onto the smooth surface of the wooden table.

"Guess that's right." Nobuyuki laughed bitterly, a deep frown engraved on his face. "I guess…you're right…" He whispered softly before the silence filled the air again.

"Is he–"

"He should be tearing Mt. Fuji apart trying to find me." I cut Nobuyuki off – already know what he was going to say and have absolutely no patience waiting for him to spill it. "I see…" Nobuyuki murmured. His eyes never left the piece of feather before him.

"Why don't you come back with me?" Nobuyuki suddenly asked, his eyes trailing from my feather and up to me.

"That woman has already died. The chief is missing you dearly, Miu-sama."

"That old man?" I snorted as though he made a joke, which may very well be. "So that weasel finally died and he has no one to turn to comfort aside from his mistress's child?" I said in utter disgust.

"Does he really misses me, or does he just miss a partner in bed?" The moment I spoke that line, Nobuyuki suddenly slammed his palm against the table. I secretly winced, not of surprise, but of Tama's nails that were suddenly digging into my hollow flesh.

"Who said anything of being that geezer's bed warmer?" Nobuyuki said with a serious gaze. "I'm not telling you to return on his behalf, Miu-sama." He told me, but I merely rolled my eyes and let my eyes drift across the room.

"I was merely informing you of our current situation. The woman who suggested to use you as trade is now gone."

"And the man who listened to that weasel's suggestion is still alive. What's the point of returning?"

"The villagers. They'd be overjoyed to hear that you're still alive, Miu-sama. After all, we naturally assumed that you've been digested already."

"Why don't you just say you're the one who wanted me back instead of making so many excuses?" I huffed, my face's expression unchanged.

"If I say that, you wouldn't return, would you?" Nobuyuki laughed as I clenched my fist. "…Miu-san?" Tama whispered softly by my ear, probably noticing my strange behavior. I placed my hand onto Tama's tiny head and ruffled up his well groomed fur.

"I can no longer return."

"Why?" Nobuyuki asked, starting to become persistent. "If it's about the chief we could–" "I could less about that geezer." I cut him off again, feeling almost as though this has become a strange pattern.

"I have been walking in clones for the past 16 years." I told him as I slowly removed my hand from Tama's head. "My real body…" A flash of image crossed my eyes for that split second. I could still see it…my legs that were wrapped around within the darkness…in that isolated coldness.

"My legs and wings have already become permanently paralyzed." I whispered, slightly hesitating as I told him all this. Upon the news, Nobuyuki's eyes widened in shock while a gasp erupted from Tama. "Wait Miu-san was that true?" Tama questioned.

"Sitting still for 16 years; did you think my real body would still be any good now?" I asked, staring into Nobuyuki's silver eyes with my own.

"_He_ has eyes implanted everywhere. Even if I did agree on returning, we'll be discover the second you pull me into the light."

"Is that the reason why you're reluctant on returning?" Nobuyuki asked. I stared at him for a long while before my gaze slowly drifted to the scenery behind him through the open shojis. Coincidently, there was a sakura tree sitting just right outside. A sakura tree just like any other I came across to from the mountain.

A tree blessed with hundreds of pink buds.

"No." I replied simply before using my finger and tipping the cup of tea over. I watched with absolutely no interest at the liquid that began crawling over the beautifully craved wooden table.

Neither Nobuyuki nor Tama has anything to say. The two youkai just stared at the tea that was spilling over the table, then to me.

"You're the one who told him, right?" I spoke after empting half of my cup. "The secrets that our race has kept for centuries. You're the only one I can think of who would do such meaningless thing." I said, balancing my cup back onto the table as I stared into his reflection within the puddle of tea.

"_Him_?"

"Nura Rikuo. You were the one who told him the secrets of our clones, didn't you?"

"Miu-san knows of the Supreme Commander of the Nura clan?" Tama asked in shock as he nested himself onto my head with his paws nudging at the side of my cheek. "We have some histories." I replied with as less words as possible before looking from Nobuyuki's reflection to the real one.

"Who is he to you, Miu-sama?"

"Wha–" I quickly stopped myself midway when I noticed the strange expression that was on Nobuyuki's face.

"Is that man the real reason why you came tonight…and why you refuse to go back?"

"What nonsense are you–ugh!" I gasped as a blast of wind that suddenly slammed into me. "Reow!" Tama cried, blew off me just as my back slammed heavily against the tatami.

By the time I looked up, I found Nobuyuki hovering over me. His wings were spread around us almost as though acting as a cage to keep me in. "Get off." I demanded, about to push him away when he grabbed my wrists and pinned my hands above my head.

"I've been in love with you for 23 years. What do you see in a man you've only met for so little time?"

"I don't know what you mean." I snapped as I tried to struggle my hands free. However, I couldn't find myself to summon any strength within this broken up body of mine. His hand never even moved an inch when I struggled.

"Then shall I show you?"

Those hard words escaped his lips as I froze. I slowly look up only to meet Nobuyuki's face that was growing closer and closer to mine…

"Get off…" I murmured, but he didn't stop.

"I said get off." I demanded in a louder tone, but Nobuyuki just continued on. He completely ignored my words as his grip tightened over my struggling hands.

"Miu-san!" I suddenly caught Tama's scream, then followed by a cry of Nobuyuki's. Nobuyuki immediately pulled himself from me, his free hand pressed against the cut on his cheek that Tama had inflicted.

Taking my chance while he was distracted, a swirl of wind burst from my hand and tore Nobuyuki's tight grip off me. I quickly sat up and lifted my arms, attempting to elbow him while he was stunned.

However, he had recovered faster than I anticipated and successfully caught my arm. With a simple twist, Nobuyuki bounded my arm behind my back. Our chests glued against each other and I couldn't find myself anymore strength to fight him off.

"Let go of me." I demanded with an attempt to slap him with my free hand. Naturally…he caught my wrist before it could make contact. "Miu-san!" Tama shouted as I noticed him pouncing at Nobuyuki. "Nobuyuki…!" I growled, but I was too late. A burst of wind blasted out of Nobuyuki – slamming right against Tama and blasting him out of the room.

"Coming into my place to speak of another man…do you know how irritated I am?" Nobuyuki whispered as he buried his face into my hair.

"Women hate persistent men. Didn't your mother ever teach you that?"

"Excuse me. My mother only taught me that women are most happy being chased." Nobuyuki chuckled as I rolled my eyes at the remembrance of what type of woman this fool's mother was.

"Do I look like your mother?"

"You're more beautiful."

"What a horrible son." I remarked, softly wincing as the arm around me tightened. I could even hear a sickening crack emitting from the joints at my shoulder.

"Miu." My name escaped through Nobuyuki's pale lips as I found him leaning towards me again. My eyes narrowed into a glare, but I didn't struggle this time.

It wasn't that I didn't want to…but was because I was too tired.

I had completely used up the last bit of energy in the last attempt to escape. And because of that stupid cat being here, I couldn't release my clone either. I just stared with utter disgust at the pair of lips that were moving closer and closer to me.

_I was **helpless**. _

_That was the only word I was able to describe myself. The word that never in my life did I thought I would use. Before the Doji I had known, I couldn't find myself to do anything. I felt so pathetic and weak, to the point where I could just hang myself. _

_When did I became so weak…I couldn't remember. _

_The air around us was silent aside from the whistles of wind and…_

My eyes widened while Nobuyuki stopped his approach. The two of us sat, frozen in place. I could hear it…the strange melody drifting through my eardrums.

It was a song.

A beautiful song created through the friction of a well-crafted blade and a scabbard.

_It was the song of a sword being drawn. _

I, being the first to snap out of trance, quickly pulled my gaze from Nobuyuki. My eyes found their way to the shoji. Through the cloud filled night and the candle lit room, I discovered a shadow.

There was a shadow pasted on the other side of the shoji.

It was a shadow of a man.

A shadow I couldn't help but felt nostalgic in seeing.

That familiar long hair…that familiar silhouette of the face, that familiar posture that I had seen thousands of times…

The shadow moved, little by little…slowly itching towards the doorway. As the shadow moved down the hall, the hand of the man was slowly and steadily withdrawing a katana – the source of the beautiful melody that disturbed the silence.

Too concentrated at the man that was beginning to step into view, I had completely forgotten of my own situation; forgotten the Doji who was still holding me captive within his arm.

I felt my heart skipped a beat as I stared at the figure that was beginning to step out of the shadow. I didn't know if I had blinked, I didn't know if I was still remembering to breathe. I didn't know anything anymore…or feel anything for that matter.

Beneath the sea of clouds, a pair of eyes slowly began to open.

And...

The crimson irises dominated the abyss.

* * *

Shoji – a door, window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo

Nobuyuki - nobu (truth) and yuki (happiness).


	8. Sakura, Sakura

_Why is he here?_

That four worded sentence repeatedly flowed through my mind until I snapped back to reality upon the hand that slipped behind my head. With a push, I was pulled further against Nobuyuki. Our cheeks brushed against each other, his breath crawling against my earlobe.

"You've changed." Nobuyuki's voice whispered gently into my ear.

He then pulled himself away from me and straightened himself. I stared at Rikuo, then finally up to Nobuyuki. "You called him." I stated softly, already had the situation figured out. After all, why else would the Supreme Commander of the Nura clan coincidently be in Kiyohime's castle?

However, my words were completely ignored by my fellow Doji. Silently, Nobuyuki turned and began walking towards Rikuo. I sat, not trusting the left over strength in my knees as I eyed Nobuyuki, unable to figure out what exactly was he planning.

Rikuo stood by the doorway; his crimson eyes locked against Nobuyuki.

Just as Nobuyuki walked around Rikuo to exit the room, their shoulders roughly collided. In that split moment, I caught Nobuyuki slightly turning his head, only a third of his face was revealed to me.

_"What would you do if I hadn't stop?" _Those words flowed through his lips.

If I didn't know how to lip read, I wouldn't be able to catch anything he said – which was most likely his intention. For the first time, Rikuo's gaze shifted and stared at Nobuyuki through the corner of his eyes.

Rikuo kept his lips sealed, having nothing to say as he slowly sheath his half drawn sword.

At that, Nobuyuki suddenly snorted out a laugh with a smile making its way up his lips. But he wasn't smiling out of happiness…or sadness for that matter.

He was smiling a hollowed smile.

A smile that I was an expert at until I suddenly forgotten how to do it 8 years ago.

"I see…" Nobuyuki then said as he grabbed Tama, still unconscious, by the stretchable flesh at his neck and pulled him out of Rikuo's arms. The minute Nobuyuki stepped out of the room, the wings that sprouted from his scapula stretched apart.

"Nobuyuki!" I called, quickly leaping onto my feet as Nobuyuki flapped his wings. "I'll return the kitty to you later, Miu-_sama_" Nobuyuki said and with another flap, he gracefully took off into the sea of clouds.

And…we were left alone.

Rikuo and I; alone within this room – within this area where I could sense no other presence of youkai or ayakashi. And with Rikuo blocking the only exit, I can't run away.

"It's been a while." Rikuo said, first to break the silence.

I stared into his crimson eyes before slowly taking my seat back by the table. I was too tired. Even standing was hard for me, but I didn't want to show this weak side of mine to him.

"Two years I believe." I said, going along with his topic since I couldn't find myself to think of anything else.

As another pause of silence dragged, Rikuo began to move. He slowly walked across the room, towards me. At first, I thought he was going to settle himself on the opposite of the table, but he didn't.

He walked around the table and took a seat right beside me. The gap between us was so thin that I could feel our shoulders lightly brushing against each other.

Neither of us spoke.

I stared at the puddle of tea over the table. Within it was the reflection of the lone sakura tree within the garden just beyond the doorway of this room.

"You've broke our promise." Rikuo suddenly spoke as a gentle breeze entered the room. At the touch of the wind, ripples slid across the surface of the puddle of tea and destroyed the scenery I was indirectly viewing. It was short sentence. Yet it amazingly got the message across. He didn't need anymore words than that to express how displeased he was.

A short, simple sentence…yet inexplicably heavy.

"You're angry?" I asked. It was a rhetorical question.

"If you get worked up over such little thing then your life must be filled with disappointment." "You're being stubborn." Rikuo said with a calm tone; a pretty good comeback.

"And who's been bothering this stubborn youkai for 9 years?" I replied. At that, I noticed Rikuo smiling faintly from the corner of my eye. I then suddenly found a pair of arms, slipping their way around me. And with a pull, I was lifted up into Rikuo's arms.

"What are you do– Put me down." I demanded; though never bothered with struggling since I knew it'd be futile. In my current state, I couldn't even fight off Nobuyuki let alone him.

"You can't walk so just bear with it." He said and began walking across the tatami*.

I wasn't surprised by his words.

After everything that I've experienced, I couldn't be surprise even if I wanted to. It was still the same. This man…he could always read the weakness I've tried to keep solely to myself.

"Although it's a bit early…" Rikuo began as he came out to the garden and carefully set me down beneath the sakura tree, "shall we drink?" I stared at him, then to the bottle of sake he held in is hand.

I snorted out a soft smile.

"…You're really persistent." I mumbled, taking the little cup of sake he handed me.

"Would I be able to meet you again if I'm not?" Rikuo replied as I stared into my own reflection within the sake.

"…Guess not." I muttered and glanced up at the moonless night. That moment, I discovered something unusual. On this particular sakura branch, I saw a single sakura blossoming, aloof from its other siblings.

_Blossom…? At this time?_ I thought in surprise. Upon the sight, I couldn't help but break out into a soft laugh. I didn't even know why I was laughing, but I just felt like it. Everything felt so ironic. The more I tried to run away from what I wanted the most, I ended up being drawn closer to it.

It was so strange…so strange that I couldn't do anything but stupidly laugh. The entire time Rikuo did nothing but stared at me with a tender expression. He didn't seem creep out or bother asking me what was wrong. Instead, he smiled with my laughter.

"I'm really…stupid, aren't I?" I chuckled, looking down at the reflection within the sake. "No." Rikuo replied as I smiled and held my cup of sake to Rikuo.

"I won't drink this." I told him, waving the cup between my fingers, careful not to spill a drop.

"The sakura's not fully bloomed and there's no moon. It kills the mood." I added as Rikuo gave me a good long stare before I heard a sigh escaped his lips. He gently took the cup of sake and with a flick of his wrist, he let the sake splatter onto the ground.

"I know a place with a beautiful moonlit night and a beautiful sakura tree. Though it might be a bit rowdy." Rikuo said as both our smiles widened.

"That sounds…wonderful, but I'll have to delay your offer." I mumbled my body slowly falling limp. Quickly taking notice of my behavior, Rikuo wrapped an arm around my waist and allowed me to fall against him.

Finally, the last bit of strength I've been using to hold myself is no more.

"How annoying…it's almost becoming a pattern…this way of parting." I whispered softly, unable to remember a single time where I part with him without being in this crumbled state.

"I quite like it." Rikuo chuckled as I felt his head gently leaning down against mine. "This is the only time where you'd show your real self to me." At his words, I couldn't help but snort out a laugh.

"Real self…" I mumbled softly to myself. I would like to know too…exactly what my _real self _is.

"Tama…that Nekotama. Take him in…would you? He's a loud mouth…but he can do basic chores." I mumbled before breaking into a couple of soft coughs. It's almost over…I can feel my own blood rushing rapidly through my veins.

Through the cold surface of my hard cheek, I felt a gentle warmth stroking me…the warmth from Rikuo's large hand.

"Don't speak. Save your energy." He whispered soothingly, as though talking to a new born. As much as I detest being treated as a child, I didn't hate it.

In fact, I liked it; the feel of his touches, the warmth of his body.

It was something that Nobuyuki or even Tama for that matter, can never provide me with.

_We remained like that, the two of us, sitting together silently in the night. _

_Neither of us spoke again. It wasn't because we couldn't think of anything to say, but there just wasn't any need to. _

_Rikuo stayed with me, never letting me go even as my body slowly crumbled before him. For the first in a long time, I felt whole again…because I finally understood._

_The emotions...the secret meanings hiddened within this silence._

_Rikuo's feeling…and my own. _

_Those frustrating feelings that have been haunting me for 7 years, I finally understood now._

_Next year…I will definitely fulfill my part of the bargain…_

**"Ugah!"**

_At least, that was what I thought…_

I screamed as I listened to the crackling sound emitting from my back.

The interval between each of my breaths shortened. I was able to feel my own heartbeat pounding within my veins.

The cracking sound grew louder and louder as I felt those warm liquid sliding down my body, dying my lavender dress into crimson.

"A-Ah…!" I gasped, my eyes never leaving the sakura trees before me. The fully bloomed sakura tree…and that beautiful crescent moon. My iris began to shrink, my vision blurred as the pain increased.

I was so close…so close…

"…R-...Riku-!" I whispered that name out before the sound of bone finally snapped. My eyes widened as I felt a force viciously tore my right wing out of my back.

**"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"**

_He found me_

* * *

Tatami - traditional type of Japanese flooring made of rice straw


	9. Fallen Feather

"Ah, Rikuo-sama! Good morning!"

I heard a voice greeted as I stepped out of my room to meet the morning sun. "Morning." I greeted to Tsurara who was standing beside me. "Rikuo-sama, breakfast has been prepared." "Ah, thank you…" I said, trailing off as my hazel eyes drifted around.

"Where's Tama?"

"Yama's by the sakura tree again." Tsurara replied. With a smile, I walked around her and down the long hall. I slowly glanced up at the clear sky, a smile planted on my lips.

Today will be another beautiful night with a full view of the moon.

"Tama."

I called, turning around the corner as I walked into the garden where the sakura tree stood. I stared up at the sakura tree that was in its 4th day of full bloom.

"Tama." I called again, my eyes locked against the ball of fur that was on the branch. Knowing that he didn't hear, I picked up a pebble. With a flick of my finger, the pebble soared through the air and hit against the bark of the sakura tree. At the noise, Tama jumped in shock.

"Rikuo!" Tama gasped, turning to me as I smiled up at him. "Haven't I told you many times you can't climb this tree, Tama?" I said to him. I watched as Tama slowly get up, stretching his long body with a yawn before kicking off the branch.

He gracefully leaped over the pond and landed soundlessly before me. "But you often sit on this tree yourself." Tama complained. His ears then twitched as a soft growl erupted from his throat. "And my name is _Yama_." "I like Tama better." I replied as I scratched the back of his neck.

"Tama, did you grown again?'

"What brought that up?" Tama asked as I touched his head.

"I don't need to lean down to scratch you now."

"Wasn't it always like that?"

"Was it?" I chuckled before looking up at the sakura tree before me. "When Miu left you to me you were just a handheld kitten." I said and at the mention of Miu's name, Tama's tails flicked.

"Miu-san hasn't come." He mumbled with a sad tone. "It's only the fourth day." I told him, my eyes drifting back to the sakura tree.

**_"Was it you?"_**

I gasped upon the voice that suddenly spoke within my mind. I whirled around, my eyes quickly scanned over the garden. "Rikuo?" Tama spoke as I felt him nudging against my hand.

"Something wrong?" He asked as I slowly turned back to him. "Tama, did you hear something just now?" I asked as Tama looked around. "No, why?" He said as I glanced around the garden again.

"Rikuo-sama, Tama." A voice that belonged to neither of us spoke. Recognizing that voice, I turned to see Kubinashi and Kejourou.

"Good morning, Rikuo-sama." Kubinashi greeted as I smiled. "Morning." I greeted back before noticing the barrel of sake in his arms. "Is that for the sakura viewing?" I asked as Kubinashi smiled. "We were taking it out of the storage in preparation for tonight, Rikuo-sama." Kejourou replied as I noticed her carrying another barrel with her hair.

"Rikuo-sama, why are you here so early in the morning? Did you have breakfast yet?" Kubinashi asked as I smiled. "We were just going to." I said, about to walk off when I felt a shock of pain stabbed through my brain.

**_"Were you the one who took her from me?"_**

_Drip_

"What's that?" Kejourou said, looking towards the pond that was wavering from a droplet of water.

"Isn't it just Kappa?" Tama asked. "If it's Kappa, he went out just a bit before sunrise." Kejourou replied when another droplet of water fell from the sky and landed upon Kubinashi's shoulder. "Is it raining?" Kubinashi mumbled to himself as his detached head turned up to the clear sky.

"What are you talking about? It's a clear day." Kejourou said as gently brushed a finger over Kubinashi's shoulder.

"Where did this droplet-wait…what's this?" Kejourou mumbled when she noticed how the raindrop seeping into the green fabric was leaving behind a strange black stain. I stared at the stain on Kubinashi's kimono before I felt something cold dripped onto my cheek.

I looked up onto the sky that was freed of cloud. "Strange…" I mumbled as I used the back of my hand to wipe the droplet of water away. When I pulled my hand away, my eyes widened to find that what had fallen against my cheek wasn't water.

"This is…" I whispered, as I stared at the crimson liquid that smeared the back of my hand. "Rikuo-sama, that's blood." Kubinashi whispered in shock. I quickly looked up into the sky, but could see nothing within that vast blue.

"No! It…It's not…!"

I heard Tama's shuttering voice as I turned to him. His pupils were more dilated than usual, his body trembling. "Tama, what's wrong?" I asked. Obviously something was off with him.

"I-It's not…it's–…it's not _just_ blood…"

"What do you mean?" I asked softly as Tama slowly took a step back. "T-That blood…it…smells just like…" His trembling voice trailed off as I took noticed of strange shadows moving at my feet. At that, I lifted my head only to see feathers raining down upon us.

My eyes widened in horror as a single piece of feather drifted by my eyes. I immediately recognized it…the colour of the feather, the length, the shine…and what's more, the blood that stained each and every one of them.

**_"Were you the one?"_**

The voice spoke within my mind again. I slowly lifted my head further up, my eyes glued towards sky. There was nothing within that sky when I lasted looked. But within the sea of feathers that clouded my sight, I spotted something, someone, falling towards us.

**_"Were you the one who stole…"_**

Even in this distance, I was able to recognize the silhouette of the figure. That usual long hair, a wing that stretched from the back of the falling body…

"Miu!"

**_"My bride?"_**

"Kubinashi!" I called as Kubinashi quickly dropped the barrel of sake. With a swift movement, Kubinashi quickly wrapped the entire area within his thread almost likea web. I quickly jumped onto Kubinashi's thread, catching Miu's body just in time as the force of her fall slammed down on me.

"Ah!" A cry escaped Miu as she spat out a mouthful of blood, her fragile body unable to take even the slightest pressure.

I clenched onto her, my back colliding against the thread that was cushioning and absorbing the impact. "M-Miu-san!" Tama shouted as Kubinashi slowly lowered us onto the ground.

"Miu? I thought she disappeared 8 years ago!" Kejourou gasped, recognizing Miu immediately.

"Miu…!" I called out to her softly, careful with my voice as I was handling her.

"Miu-san!" Tama gasped, quickly running over to us as he nudged Miu. "Miu-san! Miu-san!" Tama called, but she didn't respond. She was breathing out heavy paints with droplets of sweat rolling down her forehead.

She was wrecked.

Her fair skin was filled with cuts and bruises, and what's more…her back.

The back where she carried those two beautiful swan-like wings were now reduced to only one. The place where her left wing was supposed to be was now nothing but an empty hole.

"R…Riku…" I suddenly heard a soft, nostalgic voice coming from the limp body I held. I quickly pulled my eyes back to her face to find a pair of half opened silvery eyes, weakly staring up to me.

"Miu-…" I stared at her, unable to say anything to those eyes. Miu's eyes weren't in agony…or in pain. She was staring at me with a gaze reflecting pure shock as well as fear.

Something was wrong…

"W-Why are you…?" She slowly lifted her trembling right hand and reached towards me. Her fingers slowly brushed by my cheek…and what came next was an ear piercing scream erupted from her throat.

A large cut suddenly tore through her forearm. Fresh, crimson blood flooded out of her newly made wound and splattered over my horrified face.

**_"So you are the one."_**

"Miu!" I gasped; ignoring the voice within my head as I quickly caught her falling hand and held it tightly within my grip. "This is…" I gasped, staring at the wound that just suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

_"What I consume, what damage I get will be reflected upon my real body and vise versa." _I remembered the words she said to me. The words Miu gave me when we parted ways 8 years ago.

"M-Miu-san…!" Tama whimpered in the side.

"Rikuo-sama!"

"We heard a scream! Is everyone alright?"

"What is this?"

"Isn't that Miu?"

I heard voices began to gather around me, but I ignored them all.

"Miu, can you hear me? Miu!" I called through the sound of her heavy pants. "Miu, is something happening to your real body? Who did this to you?" I whispered beside her ears as her eyes weakly opened.

"Who...knows…?" She mumbled out, and at her respond, my eyes narrowed into a glare. "This isn't the time for this, Miu!" I shouted at her, I tightened my grip over her body and hand that I still held onto.

"The…sakura…" She whispered softly…before I noticed a strange look within her lifeless eyes. "Miu?" I whispered softly as her body began trembling. "A-Ah…!" She gasped, her grip tightening over my hand as I heard a strange crackling sound that was emitting from her body.

"R-Rikuo…! Miu-san's w-wing!" Hearing Tama's voice, I quickly pushed Miu's body against me to get a clear view at her back. It was then when I saw. The joint at Miu's wings was slowly twisting…and she wasn't the one doing it.

"AAAAH!" Miu's cry pierced my ears as I quickly realized what was going on.

"Stop! Stop it!" Tama shouted, running over as he wrapped his tails around the joint of Miu's wing in attempt to stop its unnatural movement. However, it didn't work. And with a forceful twist, I stared with wide eye as the joint of Miu's wing turned a hundred and eighty degree. A sickening snap emitted from her wings…before Miu's scream pierced my eardrums once more.

"Miu-san!"

Tama shouted as I tightly embraced Miu, pushing away the remaining gaps between us. I didn't say anything…I couldn't. I didn't know what to say as I listened to the soft cries that were escaping through her lips.

"Miu, who did this to you? Is it _him_? Tell me what's going on!" I demanded, unable to take it anymore. She was right here in my arms. She was being torn apart right here in my arm, yet I couldn't do anything. I couldn't do anything but watches her cry out in pain.

I've never felt so frustrated in my entire life.

"It–…nothing to do…with…you…" Miu panted, having no intention to reply to my question. "Miu!" I snapped, unable to hold my temper as I clenched onto her tightly.

"Where are you?"

It was always like this.

She refuses to tell me anything…and in the end, she would always leave with a ruined body.

"Miu, trust me. I'll save you." I told her. "Where are you?" I asked again as I felt her grip tightening over my hand. "I…" She began when her breath suddenly fastened again. Her eyes suddenly widened, her silver irises fixed upon the sky over our heads.

"Why…" She gasped out, her teeth gritted tightly. "Why…are you here?" She suddenly spoke but she wasn't talking to me…nor Tama.

She was talking to herself.

I followed her gaze and to the sky, but there was nothing aside from a hawk passing by our heads

"Miu-san?" Tama whispered, but I quickly putted out a hand to stop Tama.

"What…are you…planning…?" She gasped in a trembling voice, as though she was afraid of something.

It was then when realization dawned me. Could it be that…Miu was hearing the same voice as I did?

"He…He doesn't have anything to–" I watched as her irises shrunk as anger replaced the fearful look that she was carrying.

"**Mouyou!**" Miu screamed. It was my first time…hearing her scream with such agony and anger. I stared at her, at her silver eyes that never left the sky.

I looked up again, but just like before, there was nothing…aside from that hawk that was still there…

"Kurata!" I called, turning to Kurata who was standing behind me. "That hawk!" I commanded as Kurata quickly looked up. "Right away, Rikuo-sama." He said and quickly ran off.

**_"Do you love her?"_**

"Who are you?" I demanded, clutching Miu's trembling body against me.

**_"Do you want her?"_**

"Answer me!"

"Rikuo-sama, who are you talking to?" Tsurara asked, but her question was overshadowed by Miu's sudden scream. "Miu!" I gasped as I felt an invisible force giving her body a harsh pull.

"R-Riku…o…!" Miu gasped in a tearful voice, her hands clenched onto my kimono. "Don't–…look…" To my surprise, her voice was begging me. She was clenching onto my kimono tightly, begging for the first time since we've known each other.

I didn't exactly know what she meant…but I found out not long later as another invisible force tugged her body. My eyes quickly shifted to her wing that was moving. Her bloodstained feathers were being crumbled, as though something large was wrapped around her broken wing.

"No! Stop it! Miu-san!" Tama cried. Miu's wing slowly inched outward with blood beginning to seep through her already crimsoned dress . "Ah!" Miu screamed as I quickly grasped her wing, trying to stop its movement. At my lead, members of my

Hyakki Yakou quickly gathered around us. They all grasped Miu's wings and began pushing in the opposite direction her wing was moving in.

"It's…no use…real…body's…" Miu whispered; a soft smile growing over her lips before pain refilled her once again.

"Stop!" I screamed, my grip tightening over her wing. But it was too late.

With a fountain of blood, Miu's wing was tore out of her back.

**"AAAAAAAAAAAH!"**

Cracking sound of glass began running through Miu's body as I quickly looked down to see her body beginning to break apart.

"R–…Ri...k-ku…" Her voice trembled, struggling to speak out my name as cracks filled her face. A droplet of tear escaped her eye and…her body crumbled within my arms, scattering into hundreds of blood stained feathers.

"Miu-san!" Tama screamed while the others stood around us, unable to comprehend what had happened.

"S-She…She turned into feathers?" Tsurara whispered, about to come over to me when Kubinashi pulled her back. I didn't pay any attention to my surrounding. I stared down at Miu's feathers that piled over me.

My arms were stiff, still embracing the air that once had a solid structure.

Why did things turned out this way?

Why did this…

"_Mouyou_…" I whispered that name out.

The very name that Miu had screamed.


	10. Parasite

**BAM**

I slowly looked up to the shoji of my room that had been forcefully kicked down. I smiled, slowly sitting upright and leaned my arms over the table before me. The rude intruder who stood at my doorway was none other than the famous 3rd Supreme Commander of the Nura Clan, Nura Rikuo.

"You of all people should know better to _knock_, Rikuo-sama." I commented casually as Rikuo walked towards me. My eyes slowly scanned over the colour of crimson that stained his kimono before to the eagle dangling in his hand.

"Nobuyuki." Rikuo greeted, though he didn't sound pleased spilling my name from his lips.

"You're here to ask me about Miu-sama, right?"

I asked, knowing I hit the bull's-eye as I glanced up to see Rikuo narrowing his eyes down at me. "You knew?" He spoke, his tone darkened considerably. "News travels fast." I replied and in an instant, I found him standing before me. He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and forcefully lifted me to my feet.

"Then why didn't you do anything?" He demanded in such anger that I didn't think someone as calm as him was capable of. But, that didn't mean I was intimidated.

"The only reason you can speak now is because you have no idea what you're dealing with." With a flap of my wings, I flew back and pulled myself out of Rikuo's grip. "Nobuyuki, who is _Mouyou_?" Rikuo suddenly asked as I froze.

I stared at him, my mind racing to figure out how he found out about this name. I obviously never told him and judging from Miu's stubborn personality, she wouldn't have either.

"…I don't know where you heard that name, but what would you do if you find out?" I asked.

"I'm going to take her back." Rikuo replied without any even sparing a second of thought.

A stupid reply.

"How much do you know about Mouyou?" I flew over his head and landed over my broken shoji.

"You should forget it. It's already too late." I told him as I lifted a foot to proceed out of my room, not wanting to stay and continue this meaningless conversation.

That's right…it's already too late already.

She's back in Mouyou's hand now…

It's already too late.

"To have companions like you…I can see where Miu's distant personality came from." Rikuo suddenly said and at that, I pulled myself to a stop.

"Miu was my girlfriend, Rikuo-sama. I've loved her for twenty years. You, who only met her once or twice every other year, think you have the right to lecture me?"

I snapped, shifting my gaze to Rikuo who didn't react much to my words. "You were Miu's boyfriend?" He asked plainly as I scowled at him. "Yeah. What of it?" I asked back before noticing the glare Rikuo directed to me.

He walked up to me and grabbed me by the collar of my kimono. With a tug, he pulled me close to him.

"If you've loved her for twenty years, why did you turn your back to her knowing that she was suffering?" Rikuo demanded as my eyes narrowed. "Turn my back to her?" I muttered as I remembered Miu's back that faced me when she left that day.

"What do you think you know?" I mumbled, roughly slapping Rikuo's hand off me as I glared back into his crimson eyes.

"You don't know anything. About us, about Miu or even Mouyou."

"If I had to leave her just because of knowing these facts, then I rather not know anything at all." Rikuo snapped back as his glare darkened.

"My feelings aren't so half-hearted like yours." The second he spoke those words, my fist flew up and punched him across his face. I knew he could have dodged it, but he didn't. Rikuo did nothing but stood there, not even fazed by the power I putted into that punch.

"Just because I acknowledged Miu's feelings for you didn't mean I acknowledge yours." I growled; my fists clenched tightly. "Do you love her that much?" I mumbled as Rikuo's eyes shifted back to me. _'What is that gaze?'_ I snapped within my mind, feeling my heart pounding faster when I met his eyes.

I quickly tore my eyes away from him and stomped back into my room. I slammed my foot against the edge of my table. With a simple kick, the table flew across the room and broke through the delicate closet. I folded my wings and sat down in the corner. Rikuo stood with his back leaned against the doorway. The two of us remained like that for nearly an hour.

Neither of us exchanged words.

As time passed, I felt the heat within my chest evaporated. Though it was only slightly, I felt myself regaining rational reason.

"Have you calmed down?" Rikuo asked softly, though neither his look nor his tone seemed as though he cared. "Ah…" I mumbled softly. Indeed, I felt the fog in my head clearing up a bit.

"It seems I've said too much. Sorry." Rikuo suddenly apologized as I slowly looked down at my hands…the hands that weren't able to grasp the one I love. "No…you were right." I mumbled softly. The vivid image of Miu reappeared in my mind…of how happy she was that night with Rikuo. How pure her smile was…something that I had never seen in all my life of knowing her.

Despite claiming to know her for twenty years, I knew that I actually didn't know anything about her at all.

"Are you interested in listening to a 20 years old story?" I asked Rikuo who shifted at my words.

"It's a story back in our village, the village of Doji, also known as the Moving Isle. It's an island that never stays in the same place with mist shrouding it 24/7, making it almost impossible to find." I began as I smiled at the memories of my village.

"Miu was the daughter of a beautiful mistress of the chief that governs our race."

How Miu would kill me if she hears.

"Miu's mother died giving birth to her; and her father who held too much pride, refused to acknowledge her or having affair with Miu's deceased mother. My mother was a servant working in the chief's manor. When she discovered that, she took Miu under her wings and we were raised together."

_"Please reconsider, chief!" I shouted from my post._

_"I already have!" The chief bellowed in anger, annoyed by my nonstop pestering. "Come on now little solider. What is there so disagreeable on? For once that girl will be useful. If you really care about her, shouldn't you rejoice? Isn't that right, dear?" That annoying squawky voice spoke as my eyes narrowed at the chief's wife who came up to us._

_"Mouyou's fame travels far and wide. If we present her to him, I'm sure we'll be able to establish an alliance between us." The hag continued as I gritted my teeth. Shut up already. No one wants to listen to that ear piercing squawk of yours – I wanted to say. Miraculously, I was able to keep those words within the back of my mind._

_And even to my own surprise, I was someway or another able to force out a smile._

_"But what if Miu-sama isn't to Mouyou-sama's liking?" I asked, trying to find a way to convince the chief out of this ridiculous idea. "Ara~ That child is **extraordinarily** beautiful. That **slut** is an expert at charming men isn't she? With that **slutty** behavior of hers, I'm sure she can even charm the great Mouyou-sama."_

'The only slut around here is you.'_ I cursed in my mind, trying to surpass a glare as I listened to this old hag's rambling. It didn't take an idiot to know that she was just jealous and found Miu an eyesore._

_"But chief, she's your daughter-!"_

_"I don't have any daughter! This decision is final!" The chief suddenly bellowed in anger. Knowing that I couldn't say any further, I bowed. Without giving them another glance, I quickly took off into the air._

_"Damn them!" I cursed loudly once I was sure they wouldn't be able to hear._

_I flew through the thick afternoon mist, easily dodging the branches of trees. "That bitch. Who was she to call someone else slut?" I growled, bursting through the mist as I came before the pillars of mountain where our houses were built upon._

_"Ah! Hey! Watch it!" A lady shouted just as I flew by, intercepting her path and nearly causing her to drop the basket of eggs she was carrying. "Sorry, I quickly apologized as I flew around to avoid the other Dojis. My eyes scanned across the mountains and houses._

_After a long while of search, I finally spotted the one I was looking for. I flew to the northern mountain and landed inside a cavern that was formed by a large crack in the rocky wall._

_"Miu-sama." I called softly as I stared at the girl that was sitting on the cool, moist ground. "…Oh, it's you, Nobuyuki." She mumbled softly, her voice without much interest as usual. "This is no time to sit around. Did you hear the news?" I asked as Miu slowly climbed onto her feet._

_"What do you think?" Miu said, slowly stepping out from the shadow as my eye widened. I stared at the left side of her cheek that was completely swollen._

_"Your face…"_

_"That lecherous old man needed a bed warmer, and I refused." Miu replied as though it wasn't a big deal._

_"Lecherous–…was it the chief?"_

_Miu didn't reply._

_"The chief tried to force himself on you?" I asked again. When I received another silent treatment from her, I became sure. I quickly turned ready to take off into the sky again when I felt a harsh blow across my head._

_"…!" I gasped, my head smashing against the rock wall of the cavern. "What are you doing?" Miu said coldly as she stepped up to me. "That's my line…" I muttered, my head pounding in pain as I rubbed both sides of my head. "Are you going to let that geezer get away with this?" I snapped at her, but only to earn her deepest glare._

_"That doesn't concern you. Who gave you the right to meddle with my business?"_

_"I'm your boyfriend! I think I have the right!" I snapped as Miu slowly walked around me._

_"Really now?" She huffed, her eyes trailed over me before to the outside world. "I like men who mind their own business and give a girl her privacy." As she finished those words, she flew away and disappeared into the mist beyond._

_I sat and waited for the pain to subside._

_When the pain ceased, I pulled myself onto my feet and stared back at this depressing dark cave…the cave that had become her favor place. No matter how many times I viewed whether from inside or out, it always felt like a prison to me._

_A prison Miu made for herself in order to protect her from reality._

"That's why…when I met Miu again, I was shocked. Even if it was a pet, she let that Nekotama accompany her. Judging from how that runt was so loyal and free of injuries, I take it that she's been taking good care of him." I said at the remembrance of that kid Miu called Tama.

"Her expression had softened considerably. I was envious when I saw how she opened up to you that night." I finished with a soft sigh, feeling the weight in my chest lightening.

"She was sold out, by her only family–…no. That would be a flattery to that old geezer." I spat as I gritted my teeth. I could still remember it clearly…that lonesome figure of hers sitting within the shadow, with that purplish cheek.

"Even with that attitude of hers, many people in the village still liked her. Men loved her beauty, while woman attracted to that strong personality of hers. But when the day Mouyou came to pick her up, none of us stepped up for her." I mumbled, remembering that very day…

The day where shadow covered the land, the clear sky filled with youkai and ayakashi, turning the day into night. And at the border of our isle, that 2 meter monster stood with inhuman golden eyes illuminating within the darkness.

And Miu, who was walking towards him, was like a prey attracted to that light produced by an anglerfish.

She never once looked back at us.

She never called for help, not because of her pride. She probably knew…that even if she cried and begged, none of us would step up for her.

"I cowered out on her at the most critical moment where she needed someone by her side." I smirked at how ironic things turned out to be.

"Although I don't have the right to ask this, please save her. Both from herself and from Mouyou."

"Miu is part of my Hyakki Yakou. I will take her back to the Nura Clan where she belongs." Rikuo merely stated and at his words, I couldn't help but to laugh.

He said it…and in such simple way.

"She belongs in the Nura Clan heh?" I said, somehow able to imagine the scene better than with her returning to our village.

Maybe…it was because of this man…

"Speaking of which, how long are you gonna hold that poor thing captive?" I asked, my eyes resting on the hawk. And seeming to remember its presence, Rikuo came to me and held the hawk in my face. "I want you to examine this." Rikuo said as I stare at the bird dangling in my face.

It was then when I realized that the hawk…though it's weak, it's still alive.

"I ain't a vet." I told him plainly. "That hawk was there when Miu began to act weirdly." "What do you mean?" I asked without much interest as I raised a hand and brushed the hawk away. But just when the hawk turned, my eyes widened upon its colourless iris over its right eye.

Before Rikuo could say anymore, I snatched the hawk from his hand and examined its eyes.

To my unsurprising discovery, I've confirmed that this hawk's right eye to be permanently blind.

"So that's…how it is…" I growled as my gaze hardened. The muscles at my quills tightened. I spread my wings, about to skewer this piece of filth when Rikuo interfered. All I saw was a hand grabbing the hawk from me. By the time I looked up, he was already at the opposite side of the room.

"What are you doing?" I snapped as Rikuo gazed down at me.

"That should be my line." Rikuo replied as he ignored my glare. "That thing you're holding there is that Mouyou's _eye_." "Eye?" Rikuo mumbled. It was natural that he couldn't understand.

"Mouyou is a parasitic, corpse-eating youkai that can split a fraction of his soul and embed it into a life form. He can control them accordingly to his will and sees through one of the eye of the body that he attached himself onto." I said as I lifted a finger and points at the hawk in his hand.

"That blinded eye on that bird is the proof of it once being controlled."

"…So are you saying this hawk's still being controlled?" Rikuo questioned. "No. The eye will be useless once Mouyou's finished with it." I replied and watched as Rikuo walked to the doorway. He gently released the hawk's talon and held it upright. With a gentle throw, he released the hawk into the air. No wasting its time, the hawk spread its brownish feathers and flew off into the night.

"…Kind, aren't you?"

"I have no interest in meaningless killing." Rikuo said flatly before looking back down to me.

"Tell me about Mouyou, Nobuyuki."

I glanced up to him, then to my broken closet since I didn't know where else to place my eyes. He knew too much now, so I didn't see the harm in telling him. Beside, even if he didn't notice, he already has been sent an _invitation._

"Mouyou…the only way to describe him is that he's like a brat." I said as my eyes narrowed at the name. I could even feel virus invading my tongue when I had to force that hideous name.

"He loves beautiful women. The more they resist him, the more he'd want to make them his. Once he got bored, he'd devour the woman and goes looking for a new one." I slowly tilted my head and met his eyes.

"Miu should be his 79th wife if I remember correctly. Then again, I don't know much detail, or how she managed to run away in the first place." I then snorted out a laugh and said, "he must've been looking forward for this day. Sucks to be him."

"What do you mean?" Rikuo asked, keeping his usual composure.

"What do I mean?" I mumbled as I remembered the hawk, then to the blood that stained Rikuo's current kimono.

"Mouyou likes it when his _toy_ is at top condition. He could have taken Miu the minute he caught her…" I lifted a finger and pointed at him, "but you were there."

A moment of silence followed.

"When his toy runs from his hand, he'd have the twisted enjoyment to hunt them down. That's the kind of sick hobby he has, however…" I waved my finger. A gentle breeze was created from my fingertip and gently brushed by Rikuo.

"Miu met you. And you stole her away."

"Then you mean what happened this morning…" Rikuo mumbled; his crimson eyes hardened in disgust. "He tore her apart…for that reason?"

"To Mouyou, that's enough reason to break the woman he's been chasing for 20 years." I replied. I slowly pulled myself onto my feet and stretched my limps.

"You've already been invited, Rikuo-sama." I walked up to him and pointed a finger at the dry blood that was staining his kimono.

"The way he tore her up in your arms. It's his way of saying _come and find me if you want her. _You have a minimal of five days."

Rikuo's crimson eyes shifted. "Five days?" He muttered, clearly wanting more explanation.

"I told you," I slowly made my way to the hall outside my room, "that Mouyou likes his toy in top condition. From that damage, it should take Miu a minimal of five days to recover. Meaning you'll have five days before Miu - whether physically or mentally - is broken beyond repair."

"Where are you going?" Rikuo called from behind, but I kept my pace.

"Though I said I was Miu's boyfriend, it was only a one-sided love. She didn't know that kind of emotion. The word _love _never existed in her vocabulary, until you came along." I said as I waved my hand without ever glancing back to him.

"Miu's waiting for you–"

"So you're going to let her go again?"

I froze.

"What did you say?" I mumbled.

I slowly turned to Rikuo who stood a couple feet behind me. "Is that the kind of word you should use to your rival?" I asked, looking at him from the corner of my eyes as Rikuo leaped onto the head of a snake youkai that had descended from the sky. I took a small step and fully turn myself to him. My half open wings folded restlessly at my back.

"I won't acknowledge a coward like you as my rival. I also have no intention of handing Miu to anyone else." He said calmly before a smirk slipped over his lips.

"You have a pair of wings. Wouldn't it be boring to sit here with your feet intact to the ground waiting for news?"

I stare at him, wide-eyed.

Once his words began to sink in, I snorted out a laugh. "Heh…really…" I muttered, my eyes trailing after Rikuo as he flew off on the snake youkai.

"This really sucks." I cursed beneath my breath as I slowly spread my wings. Though despite what I was saying, I couldn't help but found a smile glued to my face.

When was the last time I've smiled like this?

"This is the worst…"


	11. Sacrifice

_"Ha…ha…ha…"_

What is that?

_"Ugh…!"_

_ 'What is that sound',_ I asked myself as I listened to the sound of heavy breaths within the endless abyss. "Wha–…!" I tried to speak, but only to realize that the panting sounds that were disturbing my sleep was actually mine.

I slowly opened my eyed to find the usual dark room slightly lit. My silvery eyes shifted and discover sunlight beaming through the tiny gaps in the stone wall. That light yellow and softness within the light…

It was dawn.

I sighed out tiredly.

I could feel my body reaching its limit, my muscles were crying out to me in agony. I relaxed my body, just a little, wanting to at least sleep in a better position than kneeling with my knees scrapping the cold stone floor. However, the moment I relaxed, my body tumbled forward. A sharp pain drilled into my wrists, forcing a soft cry out of my lips as I quickly rebalanced myself.

I quickly gazed up at my wrists that were bounded over my head by rose vines. I gritted my teeth as fresh crimson blood slid down my itching arms that were already coated by a thick layer of dried blood.

"Well, well, well, what a rare sight to see you awake. I thought for sure you'll sleep away today as well, Miu-sama." A high pitch voice suddenly spoke within the camber.

I winced for my poor eardrums that have to suffer listening to that hideous voice. I slowly looked up through the cage that confined me and saw Jorougumo standing by the doorway.

"I don't consider eating organ and sucking blood a diet so unlike you I'm not quite used to it." I mumbled, each of my breaths taking in the rotting stench of flesh mix with heavy scent of blood.

How long have I been here smelling this disgusting air?

Three–…no, four days?

"Heh, don't worry yourself too much, miu-sama. After long harsh years Mouyou-sama's dream finally..." Jorougumo began rambling on.

I didn't even pay much attention to her, only catching parts of her broken up sentences every now and then.

However…

" –that grandson of Nurarihyon is…"

My eyes nearly widened at the mention of those three key words.

"What…what did you say?" I gasped through pants, forcing my head up as Jorougumo smirked at my reaction. "I said, that grandson of that Nurarihyon is really stupid to come running all this way for a bird **without** feathers." Jorougumo repeated, emphasizing the very word that I would usually glare at.

But this time, I didn't.

My mind was suddenly filled with the thought of Rikuo. "He's…here?" My chest tightened at the thought.

_"Why…"_

My voice whispered within my mind as I remembered that day when I laid in Rikuo's arms…staring at that hideous hawk.

**_"Do you love him, the man who held you now?"_**

_Why…are you here?" _

**_"That man who held you…"_**

_"What…are you…planning…?" _

**_"What am I planning, shouldn't you know the best, my bride?"_**

_"He…He doesn't have anything to–" _

**_"As present for our long awaited wedding, shall I make him the sacrifice?" _**

I trembled lightly at the last word he spoke. I clenched my fist, completely forgetting the thorns that were pierced through my flesh.

"Moyou…" I whispered softly as Jorougumo shifted.

"Get Mouyou…" I didn't even know if I spoke those words. That unfamiliar voice almost as though begging…it couldn't be mine.

"What nonsense are you blabbering about, Miu-sama? Do you think you're in any position to command me?" Jorougumo laughed. "A **wingless** bird should know her place." She snapped as she stretched her long, slender hand through the bars of my cage. She grasped the rotting wing of mine that was lying upon the ground; the source of the stench that filled the air.

With a shrilling laugh, she threw my wing against me. I held my breath, not wanting to smell my own rotting flesh as I felt my own feather brushes across my cheek.

_No longer able to fly. _

"Well then, I'm going to go greet our guess. See you, Miu-sama." Jorougumo said with that taunting smirk before leaving this cylinder chamber. I listened as a heavy clicking sound came from the other side of the door.

"It's not like I can walk out even if you don't lock it." I murmured. I tried to move my legs, but as usual, they didn't respond.

_No longer able to walk. _

My eyebrow furrowed.

I made another attempt to free my wrists, but only achieved in making myself cry out in pain. My vision blurred from the blood lost. My head hung down; my neck too tired to keep it up.

I bended my fingers and clawed at the vines.

I bit down on my lower lips, ignoring the thorns that were scrapping against the bones within my wrists. I scratched at it until my nails broke with fresh warm liquid streaming down my fingertips. Without the need to look, I knew that I did little damage on the vine compared to the damage I inflicted upon myself.

I could just laugh.

Laugh at how pathetically weak I am.

Laugh at how stupid I was for trying to escape this reality.

Somehow, I suppressed my urge to laugh and only released a couple of chuckles.

I could bite my tongue.

All I needed to do was to sever my tongue and then it'll all be over.

This pain, this nightmare…everything.

Just like that…

It'll be just like waking from a dream.

I held out my tongue between my teeth. I nibbled it slightly, my fangs scraping over the soft, delicate flesh. Just when I was about to bite down, I stopped myself.

Cold tears began spilling from my eyes.

I wasn't afraid to die.

I was prepared for it the moment I left my homeland.

Then…why did I feel regret lingering within me?

What was this unspeakable longing compressed in my chest?

It was just like that time…only that back then, I wasn't afraid to leave this world. I had wanted to die but he had to suddenly appear out of nowhere and stopped me. And now I didn't want to die…I'm all alone.

"You're…unfair…" I mumbled, though I wasn't sure if those words I spoke were directed for Rikuo or myself.

I knew that I was the one who pushed him away.

I was the one who wouldn't let him come near me.

I don't have any rights to say such thing about him. I blew out softly as a gentle breeze of wind brushed by my torn clothes. The fabric of my dress swayed to the weak breeze.

"How low you've fell..." I lectured myself softly.

I lost my wings.

I can't fly.

I can't walk.

I'm a nothing now. With a situation like this, I guess I can't fall any lower.

"Mouyou…" I whispered that disgusting name as my gaze hardened.

"Get out…" I whispered again, louder. "You can hear me right? Get out! Mouyou! Get out!" I screamed as loud as my weakened lungs can project. I gave out a dry cough, my body quivering from the tears. I swallowed a soft hic as the air filled itself with silence. I waited for the last tear trail to dry from my face before shouting out to him again.

"Mouyou!" I screamed his name once more. My throat tightened, unable to speak anymore as I gasped for air.

After what felt like minutes, a heavy click came from the other side of the door. I heard a heavy footstep, too heavy to be Jorougumo's or any of the youkai around.

The footsteps grew louder and louder.

After another heavy step, the stone door slowly swayed open. I shifted back; my eyes upon the large, black hand – as though dipped in oil – grasping the edge of the door. Its grey claws easily dug into the stone door, scarring it as though it was made of wood.

I clenched onto the rose vine, forgetting its thorns as I bit down at my lower lip.

My body was quivering with new reasons now.

Immediately I regretted calling out that name. But at the remembrance of Rikuo, I managed to pull myself together.

I then heard a sound.

A sound of tearing flesh and broken bones.

Then something was thrown through the thin gap of the door, making a disgusting sound when it collided with the stone floor. I hesitated, but shifted my eyes to the object that flew into the chamber. When my eyes made out what it was, I quickly looked away in disgust.

What had flown in was a human arm. An arm with its skin peeled from the raw flesh and fingers chewed off its palm.

Hearing an unnatural crackling sound, I slowly turned back to the door. The large, decaying hand had begun to shrink. Its rotten colour began morphing into something healthier. Peachy white skin began surfacing, replacing the blackened ones. The dead veins that popped over that oily looking hand smoothed out beneath the healthy flesh.

As the hand shrunk, it gradually descended until it was at my bounded wrists' level. When another footstep came, it didn't sound as heavy as before. The weight of the footstep was on par or perhaps even lighter than Jorougumo's.

"You called, my bride?" A deep, unfamiliar of a male's called. The hinge of the door creek as it swung open. When the door was removed from my sightline, I found myself staring at the body of a human man around his mid 20's with dark raven hair.

I didn't need to think twice to recognize the face of the man whom I had never before seen in my life. I slowly gazed at the half eaten hand lying on the cold ground, then back to the man. The slimness of that arm and form was exactly the same as this man's.

This was an ability of his I knew too well of.

An ability to devour and morph into exactly what he had eaten. And the ones being devoured for the purpose of his new form are called the _sacrifice_.

I stared into the man's unfitting golden eyes, the only thing that remained original. I sighed out softly, half relieved that I didn't have to puke over talking to that oversized, disgusting face of his.

"It's not like I can go anywhere. Is it necessary like this?" I asked, masking my fear as I waved my hand, ignoring the stinging pain stabbing against my wrists.

I have to act natural.

"You called me for this, or for that Nurarihyon?" Mouyou mused loudly to himself.

He was clearly toying with me.

I looked away, ignoring his gaze that was licking against me. However, my face was yanked back by a hand that had slipped through the iron bars and snatched my chin. I tried to pull my face away, but the hand at my chin didn't budge an inch.

I lowered my eye, looking anywhere but that golden eyes of his.

"You don't need to worry. During the new moon at our wedding, your wish will be granted." Mouyou whispered beside my ear. My eyes widened at those hideous words. My mind was suddenly overwhelmed by my memories of Rikuo. I didn't dare to imagine it…his chocolate soft or those sharp crimson eyes replaced by this disgusting pile of rotting flesh's.

"You loved him don't you? That body of his…" His voice hissed beside my ear.

I didn't know what happened next. By the time I reacted, one of my wrists pulled itself free from the vine's grasp. My entire hand was coated in blood; the thin layer of flesh at my wrist tore and ragged.

I thrust my crimson hand through the gap between the bars and slapped him over the face. My ragged nails tore through his skin, leaving behind claw-like wounds similar to Tama's.

It was a stupid move.

A flicker of anger crossed Mouyou's golden eyes. He moved so fast that he was only a blur of colour. Before I had the time to realize what I had done, I felt a harsh blow against my right cheek.

Through the force, my other hand was tore free from the vine as I slammed head first into the iron bar of the bird cage I was trapped in. It happened so fast that I wasn't even given a chance to scream. My head slowly slid down the cold iron bar, leaving behind a trail of warmth as I fell limply onto the stone floor.

"Urgh...!" I lay on the freezing floor that reeked of my own blood, the left side of my head throbbing in pain. I could feel warm liquid sliding down my head, dying the roots of my hair crimson.

"Looks like you still don't understand your place as my bride." Mouyou's voice came, muffled in my ear. My head was spinning, though I didn't know if it was from the impact or the blood lost…or perhaps both.

I felt a hand roughly grabbed my hair and yanked me up. I didn't move. There was no strength left in my body to. My vision has become nothing but a swirl of colours.

"You love that quarter breed so much?" Mouyou growled as I smirked softly.

"He…seemed to love me." I murmured softly, trying hard to stay conscious.

"And you not?"

"Who–…Who knows…?" I forced out a chuckle as my vision began to darken.

"If you want to find out…" I gritted my teeth at the never ceasing pain at my skull. "Why don't we…play a game?" I whispered softly. During the split second my vision cleared, I saw a smile flashed over Mouyou's lips. I wasn't sure if I had seen right, for that the second after my vision cleared, everything turned dark.

It doesn't matter if I fall any lower as long as I can, just once more, see that face again.

Just…once more…

_One last time. _


	12. Trust

"Why…" I broke into a series of coughs. The taste of rusted copper swirled within my mouth. I gazed upon the night sky covered by a curtain of unwelcoming clouds. "Why does that freak…have a thing for bondage…?" I spat, blood escaping through the gap of my lips and stained the soil beneath my feet.

"You said something, Miu-sama?" Jorogumo asked from the above branch, tilting her head down at me with a mocking gaze. "I said it's better than being hung by the wrists." I shot back. When a gentle breeze blew by, I felt my body swing with the movement as the branch I was hung on creaked to my movement.

"Gaining a little weight aren't you?" Jorogumo laughed at the sight of me.

"Weight?" I chuckled softly at the lack of brain this spider has. "Anyone with a little knowledge should know…that birds have a lightweight structure for flight." I laughed as I narrowed my eyes towards her.

"Our bones are less dense than some _spineless_ spider who wears her skeleton outside."

"You–!" Jorogumo hissed. She looked as though she was ready to pounce on me, but stopped once she caught the sight of the other youkais' gazes. To my amusement, she actually got herself under control – in a shorter amount of time than I had anticipated.

Having absolutely no interest in analyzing the extra wrinkles on her face, I trailed my eyes uninterestedly around the _magnificent_ garden I was in.

Dead tree, grassless ground…rocks…patches of crimson soil, sand…bones of something's or someone's remains…

"A lovely garden you have here…" I made sure my voice was loud enough to be heard. I didn't know why I bothered. I didn't find the silence quite to my liking – something that the old me wouldn't have mind.

"Kuku, it's an honor to hear that from you, Miu-sama." A Hannya* who stood beside a withered willow chuckled. My eyes slowly scanned the area to count the numbers of youkai that filled this garden.

I tried counting their numbers, but soon gave up after somewhere after entering the 3rd digit.

With a soft sigh, I slowly lowered my head – my neck too tired to support my head's weight as my body fell limp. My head was still spinning from that impact against the iron bar, along with that slap.

_Is this alright…?_ I found myself asking as I slowly opened my eyes at the spider web that bounded me, attaching my body to this tree.

_"He–…! He came ugh here for me…if you use me as a decoy…argh!"_

_I coughed at the hand that tightened around my neck by the seconds._

_A wonderful, classic wake up call._

_A routine I found myself stuck in every time Mouyou is around. From the looks, he has no plan to leave things as it was when I fainted half way through our last conversation._

_I slowly grabbed the cold hand around my throat, gently clawing it in useless attempt to breathe._

_"Trying to escape?" Mouyou's voice whispered into my ears before I felt the hand around my neck loosened. Once Mouyou's grip completely loosened, my body was pulled by gravity as my back hit the stone floor. I rubbed my throat with my painless hand. The chamber was filled with echoes of my coughs and gasps. I gulp down the air, feeling my throat stinging with pain._

_"Of course…You'll be using my clone." I gasped. The pain throbbing on the side of my head increased._

_"Make him come alone…I'll be the bait. When he comes, you can ambush him with your servants." I said with a faint smirk on my lips. I couldn't find myself the ability to put on such confident mask over my heart. I felt my heart began beating faster as time became sacred._

_"You can break me here…break me in front of him. Anger him…make him watch in agony at how powerless he is…and by the time he realized what he dug for himself…kill him."_

**_Say yes..._**

_"You can sit back…enjoy this game while erasing the Nura Clan. It'll be killing two birds with one stone."_

**_Say yes already…_**

_"What are you planning?" Mouyou asked after a moment of silent. I slowly looked up to meet his narrowed gaze._

_"I…" I whispered softly as I felt my face soured._

_"…Just once more…"_

**_Please…_**

_"I want to see him…just once more…" I lowered my head limply. Through the bangs of my hair, I saw it…a wide smile glistening behind his human skin._

_"You won't escape…my bride."_

My eyebrow furrowed after refreshing that memory for the sixth times since I got hung in this tasteless place. That smile back then…something wasn't right.

If I had declared my feelings for Rikuo to him, then thinking on Mouyou's perspective, he would definitely go along with my proposal. From my speech I made, Mouyou should believe that I purposely lied because I believe Rikuo would save me. He would think that I think Rikuo would win…but instead, he will send some unexpected youkais, or come out himself to kill Rikuo in order to put me into agony…

_'But…' _My eyes scanned around the youkais once more.

All of them were weak.

Nothing but weaklings hoping to defeat an opponent by ganging up in numbers.

I stared as a strand of my white hair swayed by my sight.

I had lost a quarter of my hair's original length after using them for this clone. Although I did use as less feathers as possible to create this ragged clone, he shouldn't have known that.

I bit down at my lips in frustration as I quickly tried to sort my thoughts. He knew I was trying to do something…but what does he think I planned to do? Or could he have…

Realized my plan?

_'That can't be…' _For a youkai who didn't know about Doji's ability t clone, he couldn't have known about the thought was cut off short when I heard chatters began running in the air.

I slowly pulled up my sore neck. The minute I gazed up, my eyes instantly caught those crimson eyes that were slowly emerging from the purplish mist afar.

"He's here!" From above me, I could hear Jorogumo hissing in delight.

But something was wrong. Something isn't right.

There wasn't a single nervousness or tenseness within these third rate youkais.

…Or were they convinced that they could overwhelm Rikuo in numbers, even if he is the Supreme Commander?

"You seem tied up there." Rikuo's suddenly voice sliced through my thought as I quickly looked back to suddenly find Rikuo before me. He stood with back straight; completely compose while the youkais seemed just as surprise as I was.

_'When did he…?'_ I stared at him for seconds before I felt his nostalgic voice finally sinking in. I huffed and faintly smiled towards him.

"I don't need you to tell me–ugh!" I choked, unable to finish my sentence as I felt a furred hand mercilessly grabbed me by the throat from behind.

"Stop." Jorogumo hissed. I could feel her voice vibrate to the tips of her fingers.

"One step closer and I'll strangle her." Jorogumo commanded as Rikuo's feet immediately took root into the ground. He stood, eyes narrowed at Jorogumo who had rudely interrupted our conversation.

I coughed softly as I managed to shoot Jorogumo a glare from the corner of my eyes. I could feel her other disgusting hand stroking my bruised cheek.

"Don't try anything funny…don't forget, _we_ have Miu-sama's **real** body." Jorodumo snickered and dug her nails into the cracks in my cheek. My eyes widened at the stinging pain as she tore her nails through my skin – shattering a proportion of my clone. I watched the parts that Jorogumo ripped off scattering into feathers and carried away by a gust of wind.

"Don't touch me…!" I choked as I roughly swing my head back in attempt to break her skull. Unfortunately, Jorogumo evaded my pathetic attempt by leaning out of my reach.

"As you wish, Miu-sama~" Jorogumo sang as she gently slide her nail by the web that was bounding me. "What…?" I whispered as the web snapped in two. Before I knew it, I was falling, the web around me already loosened to the extend where I could move my arms.

I quickly balanced the center of my weight as I landed onto my feet. I quickly gaze up to see Jorogumo humming from above me. _'She freed me?'_ I thought in confusion. When I took a look at my surrounding, I suddenly discovered how the youkais had all stepped away from me.

"What is this?" I whispered in confusion. I shifted my gaze to Rikuo who had his eyes focused against me. I quickly looked up to Jorogumo who was sitting above me with her spider webs tangled in her fingers.

"What's wrong? I did as you told, Miu-sama." Jorogumo chuckled as she made a gesture to Rikuo. I narrowed my eyes at her, then to the other youkais. I looked around them, my feet never taking a step.

"What are you up to?" I whispered softly, but only received a mere laugh from the spider as reply.

"Miu." I heard Rikuo called as I turned to see him gently extending a hand towards my direction. I blinked in confusion as I stared at his gesture.

"Come." Rikuo said with a straight face while I on the other hand I stared, baffled. Was he blinded to the obvious trap that was taking place before his eyes?

"What are you–?" I was about to protest and lecture him, but when I caught his sharp gaze, my lips unwillingly sealed against each other.

"No matter what happens, I'll protect you. Come, Miu." Rikuo spoke again in a softer tone. I stared at him, then to the youkais around me. I slowly took a step forward…but the youkais didn't move.

They didn't do anything at all as I slowly walked away from them.

I kept my steps small, observing them until I walked out of the circle of youkais. I cautiously glanced back before finding my steps growing larger.

Before I even knew what I was doing, I was running…running towards Rikuo

I didn't know why, but my heart was pounding. My ears became deaf towards the surrounding sounds, only catching the sound of my own heartbeats and footsteps. I felt a strange suffocation in my chest as the distance between us loosened.

But things didn't go that easily…I knew that.

I expected that yet…

"Ah!" A blur of white flashed into my view as I felt something tightly wrapping around my throat. A burning sensation was melting into my neck. I gasped and quickly raised my hands to my throat only to realize that it was Jorogumo's spider web.

"You– uhn!" I gave out a dried cough as the spider web yanked me back. My body flew back from the force as I felt my wrists captured by the same burning substance.

"Miu –" I saw Rikuo was about to come towards me but had his path quickly intercepted by countless youkai.

"Ugh!" I winced as I fell against the hard ground. My body slid a couple meters against the uneven soil; further tearing my already torn dress. "What did you know? Your body's light after all." Jorogumo's laughter echoed as my eyes widened to see thousands of spears raining down from the sky.

"…!" I quickly tried to move, but only to discover the spider web at my wrists had hardened against the solid ground. I thought of using my fear, but stopped myself when I remembered what little energy I have preserved was for.

_'I can't…!'_ I told myself, as I watched the spears grew closer and closer.

_"No matter what happens, I'll protect you."_

I remembered those words as I felt my body relaxed. "Rikuo…!" I unconsciously spoke as I watched the spears grew closer towards me. Just when the closest spear was only a meter from skewering my neck, I suddenly found my vision swallowed by darkness.

"You finally called my name." A soothing voice spoke beside my ears.

By the time I opened my eyes, I found myself within Rikuo's arms; away from the group of youkais. Jorogumo's spider webs were freed from my wrists and neck as well.

"What–? He's over there?" I heard one of the youkais shouted as they stared at Rikuo in surprise. From the look, it didn't seem like Mouyou has done any research regarding on Rikuo's ability. "That fear…were you the one who killed my baby?" Jorogumo shrieked as Rikuo gently sets me onto the ground.

"Wait!" I quickly grabbed his kimono just when he was about to turn away from me.

I got him.

He's here right now.

I can do it…but with these youkais here, I couldn't.

_He'll be killed._

"…Why did you come?" I found myself asking, even though it should be the least of my worries right now.

"You're the one who came up with the deal of submitting to me if I find you. I won't let you back out after coming so close to you." Rikuo said in a teasingly manner as my eyes widened.

"You're…stupid." I whispered softly.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't hide it…the smile that was naturally forcing its way to my face.

That is…until I heard the sound of a loud snap.

"AAH!" A scream forced out of my throat as I felt a sharp pain erupting from my right knee.

Rikuo, with swift reaction, spun around and slipped his arm around my waist. I panted heavy. I grasped his arm tightly as I slowly part my eyes.

"Urgh!" I forcefully swallowed back another scream that was on the verge of exploding.

"Breath slowly Miu. Calm down." Rikuo quickly spoke; trying to calm my tensed muscles as he slipped his left arm beneath my laps. His other hand gripping his sword, Rikuo stood up – pulling me with him as I sat upon his forearm with my body leaned against his.

"It's alright. Relax."

I wanted to.

I wanted to but I couldn't. I clutch onto his kimono as sweats rolled from my forehead. I gritted my teeth, fearing that if I didn't I could release another scream.

"Now!" Jorogumo's voice boomed within the silent air as I snapped open my eyes to see attacks of all kind headed towards us. However, none of them were aimed at Rikuo.

Those attacks…they were directed towards **me**.

"What…?" My vision suddenly blurred for a second. When I found myself the ability to see again, my eyes were staring at the group of youkai from a different angle. In the path of their attacks was another image of Rikuo and I.

A fake image, created by Rikuo's fear.

"Are you alright?" Rikuo asked softly. From the way he held me, he seemed to be cautious as to avoid further harming me. "Yea–" I wanted to reply when an invisible force grabbed both my wrists.

I inhaled sharply. I didn't need to think twice to know what was coming.

"Miu?" Rikuo whispered the grip over my wrists tightened.

"Don't look…!" I choked just as my left arm spun clockwise while my right arm counterclockwise. With a forceful twist and a pull, I felt the joints in my elbow twisted against each other and tore apart.

I wasn't given to time to react when dozens of sickening cracks and snapping sound began emitting throughout my body.

**_"AAAAAAAAAAH!"_**

_It was then when I remembered – this reality I was in…_

"–iu…"

_How naive I was in believing how things could simply go my way…_

"Miu…"

"Miu!" A voice repeatedly called out to me as the darkness as my eyes began to clear.

"Wake up, Miu." I heard Rikuo's voice called as I slowly pulled my head up to see a blurred vision of Rikuo's face.

"Miu." Rikuo called again as I tried to blink the blurriness away. But at each blink, I felt something cold trickling down my cheeks. I tried to speak, but my trembling lips wouldn't obey. My throat felt glued together, my breathing at an unusual fast rate. When I tried to move, I felt the wetness over my cheek increased.

My vision was blocked by heavy, transparent fluid.

"Don't move." Rikuo quickly commanded when he realized what I was trying to do. I didn't understand, but my body hurts. My arms, my legs…aside from the fact that I couldn't move them, I've began to discover the immense pain that had was stabbing through my bones.

"What are you doing you useless pigs? Get him already!" Hearing Jorogumo's impatient scream, I slowly looked away from Rikuo for the first time. It was then when I saw…the circle of bodies lying around us.

Rikuo's arm beneath my legs tensed as his hand pushed me further against him. Barely keeping my consciousness, I stared as everything before my eyes moved so quickly that before my vision was only a blur. Through my ears, I could hear the screams of youkais followed by the tearing sounds of flesh. However, the sound that caught my interest most was the sound of a single blade dancing through the air around us.

I gathered my strength and forced my eyes to focus.

I observed the youkais that crowded around us – weapons and claws thrusting out to attack me.

_'So that's it…'_ I thought to myself as realization hits. "Stop…Stop!" I shouted before both the sound and movement stopped at the same time. My eyes slowly readjust as I found us hiding within the shadow.

"He disappeared!"

"Where did he go?"

"What are you morons standing around for? Find them!"

Voices ran from a distance, but I didn't care.

"Are you alright, Miu?" Rikuo's gentle voice asked, though he knew that I wasn't near alright. He was just trying to comfort me. I didn't reply. I slowly trailed my eyes to my numbed arm that I could no longer feel aside from pain.

Just as I expected…I looked down only to find my arm twisted inhumanly at each joints. My bones were snapped into bits, making my flesh stuck out in a hideous way with my skin gravely swollen.

I shut my eyes.

I don't want to see my own hideous form, but I needed to make sure. I needed to make sure exactly were did my pain came from. With those thoughts in mind, I forced my eyes open again.

I slowly looked down to my legs and discover it to be in the same state as my arms.

Now it all made sense…

The reason why Mouyou went along with my proposal wasn't to get rid of Rikuo.

He was trying to show me…

_"You won't escape…my bride."_

The reality.

The broken limbs are the representation of my reality.

The fact of no matter where I am; I will always be chained to him. Chained to that cage.

Since the beginning, it was all part of his game.

He broke my limbs to immobilize me and ordered his servants to attack me. That way, Rikuo would be force to fight them while protecting me.

It was a game to show me how useless I am.

How I couldn't do anything.

I gritted my teeth as unspeakable heat rushing through my blood. I held back the heaviness that threatened to spill from my eyes.

"It's alright." Rikuo's voice shattered my through my thought. A large hand suddenly wrapped over my eyes and blocked the sight of my ugly limbs. "There's no need to force yourself." I felt my back pressed against Rikuo's warm chest.

His gentle breath softly caressed my hair.

I felt myself unwillingly relaxed to his touch.

"Rikuo…" I whispered his name softly. Rikuo didn't answer to me, but I knew he was waiting for me to continue.

Waiting for those words…

The words he always waited for, but I could never tell him.

"Can I…trust you?" I hesitantly asked after a moment of silence. I knew I was being selfish. I pushed him away so many times when he asked. It was shameless for me to suddenly ask for something as this, I knew that.

I have no right to speak of something like trust when it never existed in my vocabulary.

"I told you didn't I?" Rikuo whispered softly beside my ears. I stared into the abyss casted by his large hand. I felt a sudden shortage to my breath. My heart began pounding faster just like before. It was exactly the same sensation as I had when I tried to reach him…only this time, it felt stronger.

"I'll protect you, not as part of my Hyakki Yakou but as my woman."

Hearing his response, I couldn't help but feel a smile upon my lips as I forgotten all about the pain itching within my bloodstream.

I knew his answer.

I knew it all along but somehow hearing it straight from his lips reassured the unstable emotion rampaging within me.

Just a single word…and I suddenly found myself regaining my previous courage. "Heh…" I quietly laughed. I didn't know exactly what I was laughing at, but I didn't feel unpleasant.

In fact, I liked it…

This feeling…

"Your woman?" I laughed softly as I shook off his gentle hand. I opened my eyes to see the dreadful garden.

Strangely…the garden seemed to have changed.

Not as depressing as I first found it to be.

Being Rikuo's woman…it didn't sound bad.

"Found them!"

A shriek erupted in the air as I quickly looked up to see youkais dropping down at us. Rikuo's hand slipped behind my head and pressed me against his shoulder. His hand kept my head pinned against him while his other hand grabbed the hilt of his katana that was lying beside us. With a swing of his sword, Rikuo's blade tore through the first youkai. He spun, thrusting out his katana and jabbing the second youkai through the throat.

My eyes stared at his blade, watching almost in awe at how swift his movements were.

It was then when I realized how much I might have underestimated this man.

"Got you!" I heard Jorogumo shouted as I turned to see a stream of spider web flung towards me. My sight was then overshadowed by an arm – Rikuo's arm. His arm acted as a shield for me, intercepting Jorogumo's attack and making himself the target in my place.

"Stupid, stop!" I choked, but was too late as the web captured Rikuo's forearm. At the contact, a thin layer of smoke rose from Rikuo's skin. The acid on Jorogumo's spider web was beginning to burn his skin, just like it did with mine.

"Rikuo–uhn!" I tried to reach for the spider web that bounded his arms, but was immediately reminded of my condition by the pain tearing through my muscles. I took a sharp breath as my body fell back against Rikuo's chest.

I panted heavily as I quickly try to relax myself again to cease the pain.

"Game over, quarter breed~" Jorogumo sang. With a harsh pull against the web, Rikuo slid a couple inches against the dusty soil.

Taking their chances while Rikuo was bounded, the youkais surrounded us. I tried to move my muscles again, but only brought more pain upon myself. My arms and legs wouldn't stop trembling.

"It's fine, Miu." I looked up to Rikuo. Hearing the sound of the web tightening, I turned to Rikuo's hand to find that he was bounded so tight that his entire hand is turning red. With the acid covering the web, his skin was beginning to wrinkle. With how the web was bounding his arm, Rikuo couldn't swing his sword.

"Rikuo, let me go." I quickly demanded as the spider web tightened again. If only he wasn't holding me, then he could easily switch hand over his sword and cut the web.

"Hey quarter breed." Hearing Jorogumo's arrogant call, I shot a glare towards her direction. At the sight of my glare burning against her skin, Jorogumo snickered.

"There's no way you'd drop Miu-sama, right?" I stared at Jorogumo and was faced with that wide smile across her face.

"He won't drop you, Miu-sama. He couldn't."

"What are you talking about?" I stared at Jorogumo, unable to hide the confusion displayed in my eyes.

"Your broken limbs…did you ever look at them properly?"

I stared at her, before slowly at my limbs. Though I hesitated, I finally focused my eye on my wrecked arm. "You don't need to look, Miu." Rikuo spoke in a commanding tone as my eyes immediately snapped to his face.

When I looked up to Rikuo, I discovered that he was glaring at Jorogumo. A glare that was sending out a pressure rivaling Mouyou's.

"Your limbs may look fractured, but truth is, they're still connected~ Even if it's by bits of fragments. If he is to drop you, Miu-sam, do you think your broken bones can withstand the slightest impact?"

I quickly scanned over my arm at her words, then back to Rikuo.

He knew.

He knew as well, that's why he stopped me when I tried to analyze my limbs.

"Rikuo…you–"

"So?" Rikuo spoke calmly. He completely ignored me with his eyes only focused on Jorogumo.

"Is there anything problem with me holding my woman?" Rikuo asked, a faint smirk playing on his lips while a frown turned upon Jorogumo's.

"Are you stupid? I can easily rip your arm off," she tugged upon her web, "right now."

"Looks like you're the one who doesn't get it." Rikuo's words flowed out of his lips like a whisper just as a gentle breeze passed by, caressing my skin.

My eyes widened upon the contact to the wind.

This wind wasn't like any previous wind that I felt.

It was different. This breeze…it has a completely unnatural flow to it.

_'This wind…!' _I quickly turned just as a sudden blast of wind shot past me and slammed right against Jorogumo's chest.

"Augh!" Jorogumo screamed as her back slammed right against another youkai that was standing behind her. Another blast of wind came from the distance, wrapping around Rikuo as I watched the wind tore Jorogumo's spider web to shreds.

"Miu!" A familiar voice called my name as I caught the sound of a pair of wings flapping just above us. I trailed my eyes after the source of the sound and soon found myself staring at a familiar face of my kin.

"You're late," said Rikuo as he waves his freed arm to allow blood to re-circulate.

"Another…Doji?" Jorogumo whispered in shock once she pulled herself back to her feet.

"Miu, are you–…" Nobuyuki was about to ask, but stopped when he saw the state of my limbs.

He quickly flew down and landed beside us. His silver eyes trailed around my broken limps, my tore wrists, the wound upon the side of my head and finally to the bruise at my cheek. His eyes were wide in shock at my pitiful state, his jaw hanging with no words from his tongue.

Knowing that time was being wasted by Nobuyuki's meaningless staring, Rikuo shoved the hilt of his katana into Nobuyuki's face. "Haven't you stared enough?" At Rikuo's voice and the object pushed against him, Nobuyuki quickly leaned back. He blinked slightly before finally relieving me from his intense gaze.

"I'll ask for an explanation later." Nobuyuki said, giving Rikuo a look before turning back to me.

"What…when were you here?" I asked softly, confused at his sudden appearance here. It was unthinkable that Mouyou would allow anyone to interfere with his game. "I'm not the only one." Nobuyuki said, gesturing behind us as I turned.

I stared into the contaminated air…finding nothing out of the ordinary.

"What–" I quickly shut myself when my eyes caught a faint movement in the distance.

I stared for a moment longer just as silhouettes of moving figures began to come into view.

"–sama…!" I caught a faint voice from within the distance.

"Rikuo-sama!" The voices grew louder, overlapping and echoing into the garden. It didn't take long before the silhouettes became nothing but a stampede of Rikuo's Hyakki Yakou charging out from the miasma.

"What is that? I thought we scattered all of them!" Jorogumo gasped as the youkais under Mouyou's command screamed and howled the members of the Nura Clan.

"Miu! What are you doing?" Nobuyuki shouted as I quickly looked back to him.

Confused by everything that was taking place, I almost forgotten my own situation.

"I'll look after his body, hurry and transfer him." Nobuyuki snapped as I suppressed a look of surprise.

_'How did he…?'_ My thought was cut off when I felt Rikuo's grip tightened over me. "Miu." Rikuo whispered as I watched Mouyou's servant and the Nura Clan clashed.

"I'm in the tower. The tower under the only clear sky." I said as Nobuyuki quickly glanced around the swirl of thick clouds over our head. It didn't take long for him to find it the hole within the cloud and the tower that stood beneath it.

The hole in the sky Mouyou had opened to purposely let me witness the light of dawn and dusk. One of his favorite _game_ – to let me painfully kneel there, using the light to count the days I've been imprisoned for.

"Miu." Rikuo spoke softly beside my ear as I smiled – faintly. I leaned my weight against Rikuo, my forehead against his shoulder. My hair began to flutter within the motionless void as the tip of my hair began morphing into feathers.

"Mouyou-sama!" Jorogumo's scream jabbed into my eardrums as I felt a chill crawling down my spine.

"A-Ah!" I chocked as my head threw back.

A hand.

I could feel an invisible hand – cold, hard hand grabbed onto my face as though trying to tear off my skin and flesh clean from my bone. "U-uhg…Ah!" I choked heavily as the grip on my face tightened.

I could feel the surface of my skull, beginning to crack. A heavy pressure wrapped against me at the same time, pulling my soul and trying to drag me back into my original body.

"Miu–…!" I could hear someone calling me…

Rikuo's voice was calling me, but I couldn't hear. His voice was completely muffled. I couldn't hear a word he said.

"R-Riku…o…!" I choked out his name his grip tightened against me in response. My hair broke off at my shoulder's length, scattering into feathers as a twirl of wind surrounded us.

"–ick…! Kick…Rikuo!" My voice and the cracking sound of my body overlapped.

With a melody of shattering glass, my clone was broke apart…followed by a howl of a beast's.


	13. Midnight's Dusk

I stared into the shadow casted by that human-ish hand.

Through the gaps between the fingers grasping my skull, I saw Rikuo, landing a kick upon Mouyou's head. A monstrous howl pierced my eardrums. Caught off by surprise of Rikuo's appearance, Mouyou had loosened his grip upon me.

Like a mirage, Rikuo appeared beside me.

He wrapped his arm around me and his other hand grasping Mouyou's wrist. With a pull, he tore Mouyou's grip off my head. I instantly breathed out heavily in relief as my headache ceased.

I watched as Rikuo tightened his grip upon Mouyou. With a tug, Mouyou tumbled forward just as Rikuo's katana flew through the crack upon the wall, stained with Nobuyuki's wind. The blade sliced through Mouyou's wrist, separating his flesh along with his joints.

Dropping Mouyou's hand, Rikuo swiftly grasped the handle of his sword. With a setp forward and a swing of his arm, Mouyou's head flew from his shoulders.

I watched, speechless, at the body that fell onto lifelessly onto the ground. His head rolled, hitting the wall before coming to a stop.

"How…? Why are you…?"

Mouyou's voice came softly from his stiffened lips.

Then…he was motionless.

I leaned against Rikuo, my eyes unable to pull away the head.

A droplet of cold sweat rolled down my face.

When I took a sharp breath, I nearly choked at the rotten stench within the filthy air. This stench…it wasn't right. The smell was stronger by two folds than I remembered.

I could hear my heart pounding faster.

Something was wrong…

My back pushed further against Rikuo. A strange chill ran up my spine and Goosebumps filled the surface of my skin.

"…!" I gasped as I suddenly found my view spun around. The sound of footstep disturbed the silence. The gentle breeze and the wave of movement broke my concentration.

"R…Rikuo…" I whispered softly, snapping out to find Rikuo dashing down the staircase.

Those crimson eyes smiled at me before a gently hand caressed the back of my head. My body unwillingly relaxed to his touch.

"The promise. I won't allow you to break it."

Promise? My eyesight drifted to the staircase beneath Rikuo's feet.

That's right…come to think of it…he found me now–

"The sakura."

I looked up slightly.

"You promise to view it together." I stared at Rikuo for a long while. Sakura? He was talking about the sakura?

"You still want to view sakura with the woman who brought you to hell?" I said mockingly. I didn't know why…but for some reason, I was smiling. I was smiling despite this situation.

"It's because you've brought me here that I love you." Rikuo replied. At his response, I couldn't help but released a chuckle.

This peaceful atmosphere didn't last long when a disturbing howl blasted down the hall.

My eyes widened at the stone that shattered apart behind us, unable to withstand the pressure of the sound wave. As though knowing what was happening behind him, Rikuo quickly drew his sword.

"Miu, can you still use your wind?" Rikuo suddenly asked as my gaze shifted to him.

"Wind…? Wait, you don't mean–!"

With a swift movement, he spun around and with a slash, he sliced apart Mouyou's heavy wave of sound. I felt a blast of air rushing around us, destroying both side of the wall as well as our eardrums.

"Wait, Rikuo–" Perhaps unable to hear me within the wave of noise, Rikuo leaped out of the hole created by the blast of sound wave.

"Miu." Rikuo called as I gritted my teeth. I glared at the ground far below us. A second later, a soft wind slowly began twirling around us.

But it wasn't enough.

I glared harder, my muscles tightening as cold sweat rolled down my face.

_Make it in time…_

The ground grew closer.

_Make it in time!_

I held my breath as pain drilled through my body. A burst of wind slammed against us from below and instantly slowed our speed. At the change of speed, Rikuo flipped us around.

By the time the wind disbursed, I was out of breath. Rikuo had his feet planted on the solid ground, a yard away from the crumbling tower.

"You've done well Miu." I felt a wave of heat within my chest when he spoke those words.

I would have snapped his head off if I wasn't so distracted by the burning pain in my body.

"He can still move with his head severed…?" Rikuo asked as another howl erupted from the top of the tower.

"He's just a corpse." I coughed softly. "Fire…unless you burn him to ashes…he can always regenerate."

"You know a lot."

"I accidently burned him once…his finger…it never recovered." I replied, frowning at the punishment I received for that. Suddenly, I felt Rikuo's grip tightening on me. Before I could react, Rikuo quickly leaped back just as something fell from the sky and smashed into where Rikuo once stood.

I quickly looked up, realizing for the first time that the howl had ceased.

A low growl rumbled through the night. Before us, within the rubble of the crumbled tower, stood a shadow. A shadow gradually growing in scale, reaching into the night sky and filling my sight.

"What is that?" Rikuo asked calmly while I felt a shortage to my breath.

"That…that entire body…is created from the number of corpses he devour. He usually shape shift into smaller copy of himself to move for convenience…that thing…is his real body…" I swallowed hard at that form.

I've only seen his real scale once and that was during the time when I escaped.

But he was larger…much larger than I remembered.

Exactly how many bodies did he eat to become this size…I can't imagine.

"Is there anything I should look out for?" I stared at Rikuo, amazed by his ability to remain so calm at the presence of that _thing_.

"Black sludge…" I whispered softly. "The black sludge…it's made of highly condensed acid…you can't block it. You have to dodge it." I felt a frown tugging on my lips. I didn't know why, but I felt something strange…

An unpleasant feeling…was emitting from Rikuo.

"I see. Miu, you can rest from here."

"What are you–" Just when our eyes met, I felt a blow at the back of my neck.

"You've done enough. Leave the rest to me."

My eyes widened as darkness began filling my eyes. My mind was suddenly shrouded within a layer of fog. I couldn't think of anything. I couldn't think at all…

I stared at those crimson irises that slowly melted into the darkness.

_I drifted off into my world, unable to understand what had happened._

_My mind went blank._

_Before my eyes was a curtain of black._

_I couldn't move._

_I couldn't feel._

_Nothing…_

_I couldn't do anything._

"Hurry! Load the arrows!"

_By the time I came to…_

"We're running out of oil!"

_The battle field…_

"Cut down the trees! Spread it!"

_Had been dyed in crimson._

"What…What is this?" I choked softly, slowly letting my gaze drifted over the field of fire. There was Rikuo's clan, running around and cutting down their surroundings before setting them ablaze with flaming arrows.

I stared at the scenery; my mind unable to make out exactly what had happened.

I was dumbfounded for a while…until I remembered, those words I was told of before my memory became a blank.

"Ri–…ugh!"

"No matter how good our regeneration ability is; four hours isn't enough to heal your limbs."

"…! Why are you…?" I quickly bit my lips to swallow back a wince.

I stared at Nobuyuki, then quickly looking down to realize how I was resting in his arms. "…Where's Rikuo?" I was immediately answered, when a loud explosion erupted in the distance.

I turned to the source of the sound, my eyes widening at the figure in the distance.

It was Mouyou.

His tall figure was standing in the distance, within the sea of fire. Flame arrows were shot towards his direction, but a simple howl deflected them all. He was rampaging over the land, stomping and smashing his claws through the ground.

"Honestly…his name is the first thing out of your lips." Nobuyuki sighed.

"He's…there?" I whispered in horror as I watched Mouyou smashed his surroundings apart. Because of the flame that blocked my view, I see anything near ground level.

"He gave you to me to protect you."

"I didn't ask for that! Is he there?" I snapped, my patience growing thin. At my raise of voice, Nobuyuki raised an eyebrow.

"You sure can express emotions now, can't you?" I shot him a deep glare.

"What will you do if you know?" He asked. Our silver eyes locked against each other's.

"With your body like this, what can you do?"

I gritted my teeth.

"Shut up…"

"You'll just get in the way, Miu."

"Shut up!" I snapped. My hand thrust into the air. My wrecked nails hooked onto the fabric as I grasped the collar of his shirt.

"Ah– Ugh!" My scream was muffled through my sealed lips. A crackling sound emitted from my arm.

I could feel it…the bones…the fragile structure that's been keeping my arm together.

It finally shattered.

"You…" Nobuyuki whispered as he stared at my hand.

Instead of loosening my grip, I tightened it upon him. I breathed heavily through the gaps of my teeth. The number of sweat drops upon my forehead increased as a strong current of air pressure slammed against my bruised skin.

I clenched onto him with my broken hand. I held on, not giving in to the pain as I focused my glare upon him.

"Stupid. You knew what will happen if you move like that." He murmured before a smile slowly seeped through his lips.

"But this is a surprise. I didn't think you'd have enough strength to manipulate your broken body with the wind."

He was lying.

He didn't even bother showing a shocked expression when my broken arm moved.

I knew that this is what he wanted to see.

This is what he purposely provoked me for.

"Four hours…" I winced, "is enough to recover that much." At my response, Nobuyuki only smiled more. His wings wrapped over around me, his feathers gently brushing my hand off his shirt.

Then stretching his wings to their full length, he began flapping them. The interval between each flap shortened. I stared at the ground that began to leave me. The other members of the Hyakki Yakou grew smaller as we ascended to the sky.

Flight…

In the past such thing was daily for me. I never realized the different feel in the wind when you fly.

"…Those flames…" I whispered as I stared at the field of flame that burned the place.

"No matter how we cut him, he immediately regenerates so Rikuo ordered his Hyakki Yakou to gather anything that burns." Nobuyuki said before breaking out a chuckle. "They had to run an hour and half to break into human's home for oil. Fortunately, it seemed that the Nura clan's ships were loaded with weapon and a fair numbers of arrows."

"Then Mouyou's…"

"Rikuo has been holding Mouyou off all by himself." Nobuyuki said with a serious face.

_'By himself…?'_ I thought in disbelieve.

What is he saying?

There's no way…

Was he saying that Rikuo and Mouyou's strength…are on par?

"There he is." Nobuyuki said through the roaring wind.

The minute I looked down I immediately spotted him. He wasn't hard to find. Within the large ring of fire, a white figure stood within the shadow.

He was slightly limping with blood trailing down his arm and staining the sword's hilt. Blood covered his right eye. He was slightly panting as he glared at the shadow before him through his only eye.

His body was cracked.

The cloned body of his is reaching its limit.

"Ri–" I was about to call out to him, but I was a second too late.

"Rikuo!" Nobuyuki shouted.

At the sound of his voice, Rikuo quickly glanced up while dodging Mouyou's attacks at the same time.

"A broken up woman looks better in a broken up man's arm." Nobuyuki said as I caught a movement from the corner of my eyes. "Nobuyuki!" I shouted before feeling the arms that were supporting me vanished.

My eyes widened as I felt myself falling into the heated air below.

My jaw fell as I watches Nobuyuki flew back to dodge a pile of black sludge aimed at him. In that split second when he was distracted by the attack, a blackened hand suddenly cut into our view.

It was as though time had slowed. The hand sliced through the air, slamming directly against the Doji and blowing him away.

"Nobuyuki!" I gasped out his name as time revered back to the normal speed. Mouyou's hand disappeared within a blink's time. With my view now cleared, I watched as Nobuyuki fell into the forest in the distance. His feathers were scattered into the air, loosened from that impact.

"My bride." A low voice grumbled heavily within the air as I turned to find that same gigantic hand reaching towards me.

"Hands off my woman." As those words were spoken; a blade ran over the surface of Mouyou's arm. In a blink of an eye, I suddenly found Rikuo appearing before me. With a forceful tug, Rikuo cut open the hardened surface of the rotten skin. Black fluid spilled from the wound, but was put to a stop in a matter of second as the cut vanished from Mouyou's wrist.

Kicking off the large hand, Rikuo quickly grabbed me just before I was able to hit the ground. The instance we landed, I felt a layer of Rikuo's fear surrounded us

"Have you recovered?" As soon as those words were spilled from his lips, the sound of a slap echoed into the air.

Rikuo stared at the hand that was responsible for his reddened cheek. His eyes were fixed, but not on my hand. He was staring at the invisible force wrapped around my skin that was moving my broken arm. I hid the pain behind my mask and forced my gaze on him.

"That was…for the four hours lost." I told him. Unfortunately, my voice trembled when I spoke. My hand hurt more than when I slapped Nobuyuki.

Rikuo stared at me for a while before breaking out a smile.

"I deserved that?"

"Much more than that."

Rikuo smiled.

"I'll listen to your complaints later." He said before suddenly breaking into a dash as his fear around us shattered. A wave of dirt fell over our heads, piling over the fire and extinguishing the flame.

_'The fire isn't reaching him.'_ I thought as I stared at the amount of space Mouyou had made for himself. At every howl, the dirt was pushed away along with the fire, widening his area of movement

**_"Return to me." _**Mouyou's voice spoke within my mind just as a howl ran through the air.

I raised my hand as I quickly mold the air within my palm through my fear. Once it was close enough, I fired it out.

My wind clashed with his sound.

"Looks like you've recovered pretty well." Rikuo commented as he dodged pile of black sludge.

"How powerful is your wind?"

"Did that living corpse cracked your skull?" I snapped as I shot out a stream of wind to the burning branch beside us. With a wave of my hand, the branch was lifted from the ground and flew towards Mouyou.

However, the fire was too weak.

Weak enough that he can simply slap it away with the tip of his claw.

"Tch…" I cursed as I stared down at my trembling arm. My eyes quickly scanned around all the fallen trees with flame running across the barks.

If only I can create stronger wind…then I'll be able to lift them as well.

"Miu, I want you."

I blinked, slowly shifting my gaze from the flame. I stared at Rikuo for a good long while. Perhaps the exhaustion has gotten to him.

"What nonsense are you–" I was cut off when Rikuo suddenly embraced my tightly.

**"Nurarihyon!" **Mouyou howled as I looked up to find Mouyou's feet coming down at us.

"Rikuo!" I shouted at him, who seemed completely oblivious to our situation.

"Miu, become my sword." His voice echoed into my head just as that foot stomped down upon us. The breaking sound of earth ran through my ears as I felt the arms that were embracing me vanished.

I blinked, making sure my eyes were open as I stared into the darkness.

"Rikuo?" I whispered as I looked around in the darkness. I couldn't feel any pain…but I was definitely sure we were crushed. And for some odd reason, I found myself feeling weaker than before…

"Rikuo?" I called again.

My heart strangely stopped for a second when I poke his name. I parted my lips, about to call that name again when my hair suddenly began to flutter.

"I'm here." Rikuo's voice spoke just beside me. My dress began to sway as the wind suddenly grew stronger. It wasn't natural wind. The wind…it was twirling around me. It felt like my wind…but something was off.

It was different.

Before I could understand what had happened, a blast of wind suddenly shot upward. A loud grumble was heard from above. When the darkness was lifted, I found myself staring at Rikuo's back.

"What…is that?" I whispered when I noticed Rikuo's sword.

It wasn't his usual sword.

It was longer. The blade was slightly transparent with pure white hilt. And what's more, the air was moving by itself, as though being sucked towards the glass-like blade.

"Let's go, Miu."

"Go?" I said just as Rikuo jumped out of the crater. I gasped as I felt my body being pulled along. "This is…?" I whispered as I stared at my feet that were lifted from the ground. They weren't moving at all, but I was following Rikuo closely behind him.

I stared at the blade, then to my own body.

It was then when I remembered.

I've heard of it before when I was at the Nura household.

The ability to wear his Hyakki.

_"Miu, become my sword."_

Matoi.

"Rikuo…from beginning…you…"

_"Have you recovered?"_

The reason he knocked me out…it wasn't to protect me.

It was so that I could recover some of my strengths.

It was all part of his plan.

The way Nobuyuki acted…he knew as well.

Everything…was for this moment.

Hearing the sound of a howl, I quickly looked up to suddenly find black fluid gushing out of the bottom of Mouyou's feet. It must be made back then when Rikuo sent a blast of wind upward.

"Miu." Rikuo called as I quickly snapped out and turned my attention to Rikuo.

"Watch from behind me."

My eyes were fixed over his face.

That unwavering gaze…I couldn't help but felt drawn into it.

"What's with that confident look…when you're so battered?" I huffed out a soft smile together with Rikuo. Hearing the sound of Mouyou's howl, I quickly look back to see black tentacles emerging from his back. I didn't bother hiding my disgust as I stared at the same black sludge that covered his body.

I slowly looked towards the hole within the ground beside us.

One touch at the black sludge and it will be over.

"He's coming." I whispered, feeling my body tensed as those tentacles shot towards us. However, Rikuo didn't move at all. He stood with his eyes closed. I didn't speak a word as I stared at the blade.

I could feel it.

The air was being drawn in, compressing together and forming an invisible shield around the blade. The minute it was completed, Rikuo snapped his eyes open and swung his sword. The compressed air sliced through the tentacle the black sludge was repelled.

With the wind surrounding his body, the sludge couldn't come in contact with Rikuo.

I could help but watches in awe as Rikuo sliced apart everything Mouyou threw at him.

He made it seem so easy…

With the wind on his side, he has no need to dodge from Mouyou's black sludge anymore. I slowly looked up at Mouyou. My body moved along with Rikuo as he dodged and sliced through Mouyou's right leg.

Mouyou howled in anger, frustrated for unable to land a hit on Rikuo.

_'What exactly…?' _I thought as I stared at the monster.

Was he always this weak? I glanced back at Rikuo. No, it wasn't Mouyou who's weak. Rikuo was simply stronger. I watched over Rikuo. My brain memorized every single one of his movement. It almost made those fear I held against Mouyou for so long seemed like nothing but a bad dream.

**"Nurarihyon!" **Mouyou howled in furry as Rikuo swung his sword.

I quickly looked around as the fallen trees and broken wood structure of the mansion began to move. I panted softly, suddenly feeling my strength being drained at a rapid pace.

**"Insolent fool!"**

Mouyou roared as he thrust out his claw towards us. Instead of dodging, Rikuo charged towards his attack, intending to take him head on.

With another swing of his sword, the burning objects twirled over our heads. The objects crashed into one another, the fire morphing into one through the help of the wind.

The sky had vanished, replaced by a sea of fire in the colour of dusk.

I stared at the flames.

What I saw within those sea of red was fear. This pressure I felt…it was ten times greater than when I was under Mouyou's presence.

_'He…lifted them all…'_ I thought in horror as I carefully swallowed.

The sea of fire stretched into the horizon, eliminating all source of darkness from the land.

_I was afraid._

_I knew I was afraid of this immense power._

_More than Mouyou…more than anything else._

_However…_

"Let's go, Miu." I stared at Rikuo's back. Since when, I wondered, did he had such board shoulders.

_If he's the one…_

_If he's the one who carries this power…_

I slowly moved my hands and gently brushed my fingers over his shoulder blade.

"…Yeah." I murmured softly as a burst of condensed wind shot out from Rikuo's blade. I breathed heavily, feeling my consciousness on the verge of slipping away as the last bit of my fear left my body.

The invisible container that had been holding the sea of flames shattered.

Like a stream of crimson waterfall, the sky began to collapse.


	14. Sake Beneath the Moon

I blinked the blurriness away.

I stared at the soft ray of light seeping through the shoji. I slowly turned my gaze to the room I was in…

It was a familiar room.

This tatami…the colour of wall…this scent...

It was Rikuo's room.

"I'm alive?" I murmured, looking down to see my arms fully recovered without a scar. I slowly reached behind myself and felt around my back.

It was empty.

It was only natural. After all, no matter how good my recovering ability was, I can never regenerate lost parts.

"You're finally awake." A voice suddenly spoke as I felt a presence behind me. I quickly turned to see a bag dangling in my face. I smiled at the sweet scent coming from it.

"Tea cakes…" I whispered. I gently took the bag into my hand. Once I pulled it out of my view, I found Rikuo sitting beside me. His crimson eyes were smiling at me.

"How long was I out for?" I asked as I pull the bag away and opened the nicely wrapped body to find the tea cakes nicely arranged inside. "Two weeks." Rikuo replied.

Two weeks…

Meaning two weeks since that battle…

"…Is Mouyou–"

"Dead." Rikuo quickly cut me off. I unconsciously breathed out a soft sigh in relief. Of course he is…the fact that we're still alive proved that much.

_He's dead._

_He's really dead._

But even so…I didn't feel all that joyful as I thought I would be.

Maybe…because it still felt like a dream?

Perhaps I'm dreaming right now?

Feeling hunger overwhelming my thought, I took a rice cake from the box and carefully slipped it through the gap between my lips. A sweet sensation woken the taste bugs on my tongues. There was a flowery scent to the cakes with a soft mixture of honey.

"It's delicious." There wasn't any other word to describe this taste.

Rikuo smiled at my response.

"How is your body?"

"Seems like it healed." I replied.

"Then let's go." Rikuo said, pulling himself onto his feet as I froze. "You're not going to call that a meal are you?" Rikuo asked when he noticed how I haven't moved from the spot.

That's right.

He doesn't know yet.

The reason I couldn't feel the strength to celebrate that monster's death.

Perhaps was this…

"…I can't." I replied, gently closing the box and carefully settles it on my laps. I glanced up to him before a smile swept across my lips.

"I can't walk." I told him as though it wasn't a big deal.

Even now, I couldn't feel it.

From my legs to the tip of my toe, I couldn't feel anything.

"My legs were already wasted. I won't ever walk again." I said as I noticed Rikuo's gaze hardened at that.

My smile widened as I felt a stabbing pain in my chest.

"I understand if you–!" I gasped when the blanket that covered my legs was suddenly pulled off me. An arm slipped itself under my legs and with a pull, I suddenly find myself within Rikuo's arms…again.

"What are you…?" The dryness in my throat captured my voice as Rikuo used his feet to slide open the shoji.

"Dinner." Rikuo replied. I gave him a long stare before his words sank in.

I cleared my throat. I made sure my voice was back before saying, "were you listening to a word I said?"

"What about it?"

I stared at him. What does he mean _what about it_? He doesn't even seem to have grasped the situation.

"I've chased you for ten years. Did you think I would toss you aside after risking my life just because you couldn't walk?"

"The Supreme Commander of the Nura clan taking in a woman with disability? You'll just be a laughing stock."

"I'm taking in the most beautiful woman as wife." Rikuo corrected. I didn't know why, but when I heard that line, I felt something lightened within me.

"Miu…"

"What now?" I snapped. Somehow, I was unable to look at him in the eye.

"You're warm." My eyes widened as Rikuo brought me close against him. I could hear the sound of our heart beats over lapping. I was then forced to become conscious to the warmth his body was spreading to me.

This is the warmth of another living being…

Come to think of it…when he was holding me during that battle, his arms didn't have the warmth it does now.

He was empty that time. A clone.

This is the first time that we actually had real contact.

I noticed Rikuo parting his lips but sealed it a second later. He was no doubt going to question the liquid flooding down my eyes, but decided not to. He held me tighter as I leaned against him.

I sniffed softly, my body quivering even though it was in midsummer's night.

Mouyou is dead.

I don't have to run or hide anymore.

I can stay here…just right here, with him.

The one who I placed trust in – I can be with him.

_'I can…be with Rikuo.'_ I thought in realization as I clenched onto his kimono.

After the facts finally sank in, the voice of my tears echoed into the indigo night.

_I was finally free._

_I can be with Rikuo. _

_That was what I had thought, but such innocent thought only lasted half a month._

_…I discovered a truth within the Nura clan._

"What did you…?" I whispered. My voice seemed to be trapped in my throat as I stared at Nobuyuki who stood before me.

"You can't continue the Nura Clan's bloodline." Nobuyuki repeated slowly in a louder voice.

"His grandfather, Nuyarihyon himself got a curse lay on him after slaying Hagoromo Gitsune. He can't bear a child with a youkai."

"That is on Nurarihyon–"

"Nura Rihan's ex-wife was an ayakashi and she left the Nura house because of that." Nobuyuki cut me off.

"If it was a normal curse it'd be easy to remove…but it's a curse from a **fox**." Nobuyuki loudly identified the key word in his sentence.

"That curse is to put an end to the Nura clan, Miu-sama." He then stopped speaking. His silver gaze met with mine before he released a sigh. "…Think about it carefully." He mumbled while stepping out of my room. I stared at his fully healed wings that began to unfold. With a couple of flaps, he took off into the sky lit by the morning sun.

"…The Nura clan will end?" I stared at the morning sun beaming into my room.

"…Miu-san?" A voice suddenly spoke, snapping me out as I quickly looked up to see Tama silently walking in. He came up to me, his long tails dragged behind him as he walked.

I stared at his rare unenergetic self. His eyes were half open and his ears flopped down.

"…I want to go to the garden." I murmured softly.

Hearing my request, Tama quickly came over and rubbed his soft fur against me. His strong tailed wrapped around my waist and with a pull, he dragged my body onto his back. I held onto his fur, my legs dangling on his side as he carried me out of my room.

"Say Miu-san…that time…how did Rikuo get into the tower?" Tama asked, unable to put up with the silence.

"All I did was created another clone and transfer his spirit. It's the same logic as creating my own clone." I replied at the memories of that day. I could still remember my rotting wing Mouyou placed in there as part of his game. To create a clone outside of my consciousness, my body needed to be intact with my feathers.

He probably never knew…that if it wasn't for his own entertainment, Rikuo wouldn't have been able to materialize in there at that time.

"Come to think of it…" I mumbled as I remembered how things were strangely smooth at that time.

"Tama, how did Nobuyuki knew what I was going to do? Rikuo seemed like he knew as well."

He seemed happy that something had caught my interest since her ears perked up right away.

"Oh, on the ship Rikuo had that guy spill out everything about a Doji's abilities. After hearing about the clone thing, Rikuo said Miu-san would use it for sure if." I smirked at Tama's reply as my eyes flashed down at him.

"So you knew how this ability works…yet you're still asking?" I whispered softly as my hand found its way to his ear.

"O-ow! Miu-san…!" Tama whined as I pinched his ear and tugged it slightly. "I-I just remembered…! Honestly!" Tama laughed…a very fake laugh. Once I released his ear, the air was quiet down again.

It explained it then…

The way Rikuo gave away his weapon to Nobuyuki...it was obvious from the start, I just failed to see it.

When we reached the garden, Tama carefully let me down by the pond.

"Miu-san's wearing lots of kimonos instead of dresses now…"

"I've always liked kimono, but my wings would always get in the way." I replied before looking out around the quiet garden. "I want to be alone." I told him. Although the sentence was short and simple…my feelings were perfectly conveyed across.

Knowing he could say nothing in the matter, Tama turned and began walking away.

"What you heard just now…don't tell anyone." I added in a soft whisper, knowing that the Nekotama can clearly hear me. With a leap, he jumped over the fence and left the manor.

I stared at my reflection within the pond, my mind in a mess.

In the past, I wouldn't have cared about such ridiculous thing as keeping the bloodline running.

But this is the Nura clan's future…

Rikuo's future.

"You seem down for a youkai who is just taken in as the wife to the Nura clan." An elderly voice spoke. I slowly turned to see Nurarihyon himself standing right behind me. My shocked expression quickly melted as I slowly turned my body around. I dragged my legs with me and after some struggles, I was finally able to properly face him.

"For someone who's retired, you sure are busying keeping yourself updated with your clan's privacy, Nurarihyon-sama." I said with a smile. "Were you eavesdropping?"

"Is that how you should speak with your elder?" Nurarihyon asked, his face looking strict as usual.

"And elder is no excuse to invade a woman's privacy." At my reply, Nurarihyon didn't seem insulted. In fact, he seemed so pleased that he laughed.

"You had the face of Otome when she discovered this curse."

"…Otome?" I asked, unable to understand a word Nurarihyon was saying.

"She was my son's first wife. A flower ayakashi." Nurarihyon explained as he walked up to me. He stared at me with a gentle gaze before turning to our reflections in the pond.

"She was a good woman."

"Then you shouldn't insult her by pairing her with me." I chuckled. "I'm not so kind that I would sacrifice something for other's sake."

"Rikuo never told you, did he?" Nurarihyon suddenly asked as I turned to his reflection in the water.

"During the time you were asleep, he came back with a box of tea cakes every noon and midnight. He would set it down beside you and wait for you to wake."

"Rikuo did?" I couldn't hide the surprise in my voice…or my face for that matter. I can still remember the tea cake he offered me, but I thought it was only by chance he bought it that night.

To think that he did something meaningless like that…

"You're a good woman as well. You should know what's best for Rikuo." Nurarihyon said before he walked away. I sat on the soft blades of grass and watched as he disappeared around the manor.

"What's best...huh?" I murmured before looking back to my reflection.

"Otome…" I whispered that name I just learnt of. "So I had the same expression as her?" I stared at my reflection, finding myself beginning to wonder exactly what face did I have that time.

If it was the old me…would I have such an expression?

Since when did I begin to change?

_As I pondered over these questions, my mind began to drift off. _

_I was lost. _

_What was I supposed to do?_

_What choice did Nobuyuki expected me to make and what choice did Nurarihyon wanted me to make?_

_I was troubled by the questions…but what really troubled me was the fact that I was being so considerate to even think about such silly things._

_It was so stupid that I couldn't do anything but laugh…_

_If only I could laugh it off…I wouldn't have felt this strange suffocation._

I opened my eyes to the burning sun. I looked up to the sky, finding that noon had already come.

"Did you sleep well?" A voice spoke just beside my ear as I quickly pulled myself up by reflex. I stared at Rikuo who was sitting beside me. Even though he's human now, I couldn't feel his presence at all.

More importantly…I felt as though it's been a pattern for me to wake in such situation.

"When…did you get here?"

"Before you fell onto my shoulder and went to sleep." Rikuo replied with his warm smile. "I tried calling you, but you didn't seem to hear me." He said before giving me a look of concern. I immediately knew what would be coming.

"Is there anything you want to talk about, Miu?"

"No…not–" I was about to say, but my voice began to trail off. Come to think of it, the words _no_ and _nothing_ was something I often say to Rikuo. I didn't want him to get involved…so I would always say these words to brush him away.

"…Why don't you come for lunch, Miu? I heard you didn't have breakfast."

Perhaps he knew I didn't want to talk about it…that's why he changed the topic. But regardless of what reason, I was thankful to his consideration.

I gave him a soft nod in replied as he gently pulled me into his arms.

These gentle arms…this warmth…

Drawn to him like a bee to the scent of honey, I pressed myself against him and wrapped my arms around his neck. I slowly closed my eyes as I feel the warmth emitting from his body.

"Miu?" Rikuo whispered as I felt a hand gently stroking the back of my head.

"Okonomiyaki*." I mumbled as a breeze blew by. "I feel like eating okonomiyaki."

"Want to go to the usual?" Rikuo asked in a gentle voice. I said nothing but nodded my head in reply.

Just like that, we left the manor.

I sat on my wheelchair with Rikuo pushing me from behind. I stared at the humans walking beneath the vast blue sky.

None of these people could have guessed that only in day did the city belong to them.

Humans wander within the light and youkais dominate the darkness.

A youkai with disability and can't even produce heir…was there any positive side to that?

No matter how I searched, I could only find the negatives.

If what Nobuyuki said is true, then the curse was to end the Nura clan…

Meaning…

_The Nura clan will end sooner or later. _

With or without me, the clan will one day end with the last heir being a pure human.

However, at the thought of another woman standing beside Rikuo, I felt a slight burn in my chest.

Perhaps…this is what human call heat stroke?

"What's wrong, Miu?" Rikuo asked as he quickly came around me and took my hand. I looked up to those soft gaze, feeling immediately relax by the warm lingering against my skin.

"Nothing…just a bit thirsty." I told him.

At that, Rikuo looked around before finding one of those 'vending machines' human made for their convenience. "Wait here." He said, pushing me under the shade before making his way across the street.

"_Wait_? Do I have a choice?" I murmured before turning my gaze to my useless legs.

I knew I was being unreasonable asking so much of him. Although I knew, I didn't know why I did it.

I knew I was being unreasonably selfish today, but I couldn't help it. It was almost as though I wanted to see for myself…to what length will be go to help me. Or perhaps…I was just seeking the last bit of warmth from those hands because I knew that someday I would loose it.

"Here, Miu." Rikuo said, returning to my side as he gently pressed the cool bottle of canned tea against my cheek. I felt the burning pain ceased from my chest as I took it off his hand.

"Thank you." I mumbled before observing the foreign object.

I had seen these many times in my life…but this was the first time using it. I fondled around the cool object in my hands, but couldn't discover any openings.

As though knowing my problem, Rikuo overlapped his hands onto mine and carefully steady the can. "You open it like this." Rikuo said as he slipped his finger beneath the strange metal thing. Then with a pull, a popping sound reached my ear and I was staring at the newly formed hole.

I looked up at Rikuo before back to the can. I gently brushed my finger by the little tab Rikuo had just pulled. I glanced up to Rikuo and silently pointed at the hole. When he replied to my silent question with a nod, I pressed the metal against my lips. I carefully tilted the can as cold liquid slid down my throat and cooled my chest.

It was unbelievable how comfortable it was to relax like this.

"Shall we go?" Rikuo asked as I smiled at him. With another silent nod, we began moving down the street again…

At twilight, we were at the mountain, in our usual drinking spot.

The sakura had long withered. The tree filled with lush green leaves and fireflies dancing through the air in preparation for the night.

"If I disappeared, what would you do?" I asked; breaking the long silence as Rikuo looked to me. "…You've always disappear, shouldn't you know that the best?" Rikuo asked me back as though my question just now was a rhetorical one. Perhaps it was…

"If I was to disappear, what would you do?" I shifted at the sudden change in his tone. When I looked up to him, those chocolate coloured eyes I was staring at before were no longer there. It was a gaze not as soft as the one before, but it held the same tenderness beneath.

I looked back to the sky, the light of the sun replaced by the moon's.

If Rikuo disappears…

I have never given thoughts about it.

It was always Rikuo chasing after me…I've never once placed myself in his shoes before. I made a vision of it within my mind, of what would it like be if Rikuo was to disappear.

The minute I grasped the thought, I quickly pushed it aside.

I didn't want to imagine it.

"Do you see now?" A faint smirk played upon his lips as he took a sip at his sake. "It's the one who gets left behind feeling the most pain." I frowned at his words.

I've never once thought about it that way…

Not once.

"You've submitted yourself to me. I won't allow it if you disappear again." At the tone of his voice, my eyes widened as realization slapped me.

Could it be that he…?

"Kappa told me everything."

Kappa?

Kappa was there?

I quickly think back to the scene back then. There wasn't anyone there. I didn't feel any other presence there and since I went with Tama, there shouldn't be any way there would be anyone that cat can't detect.

Unless…

I remembered my reflection as I gazed into the water that time.

Kappa was in the pond?

If that was the case then there shouldn't be any way Nurarihyon wouldn't know – no matter how age would affect him.

That could only mean that Nurarihyon knew yet he still chose to talk there.

…Or did he purposely spoke there because he knew Kappa would tattletale to Rikuo?

"I have no plans to let you go."

"You're going to destroy your own clan's future for the sake of a woman who can't even walk?" I asked. I didn't even know if I said that sentence for the purpose of pushing him away or trying to find a place for myself to be beside him.

"No." Rikuo replied simply as he placed his sake cup on the flat surface of a rock. "You'll be the one to bear my child. The Nura clan won't end." My eyes softened at his words.

"Are you trying to say you'll break the curse?"

"I'll break it." Rikuo replied with full confidence. I couldn't detect a single hesitation or doubt behind those words.

I chuckled at his words…

_"What makes you think you can break a fox's curse when neither your father nor Nurarihyon can?" _I wanted to say – but I kept it within me. As impossible as it sounds, I found myself believing his outrageous words.

He always speaks of such important matter and making it sound so easy.

"Then you better prepare yourself." I sighed, my body growing weak as my head found its way to his shoulder. I gently grasped his arm as I tasted his sweet scent that caressed my face.

I guess I really am selfish.

"Even if you get on your knees and beg, I won't let you go."

"If you ever disappear again, I'll find you, no matter how much time has passed."

The taste of sake swirled around my tongue as my eyes slowly trailed to the full moon about us.

_Sake beneath the moon._

"Hey Rikuo. This year…let's go to the Tourou Nagashi again."

**xxTHE ENDxx**

* * *

Okonomiyaki - a Japanese savoury pancake containing a variety of ingredients.

* * *

Phew…finally over! I can't believe this story which was supposed to be only two shots turned out to be so long. It was really fun making this story and I enjoy reading about the comments everyone posted! Thank you all for taking your time and write things down in the review. Some messages encouraged me to keep writing and some kindly pointed out the errors/problems I had.

Although the main story is over, there will be another side chapter told from Rikuo's pov followed by an epilogue. I haven't plan on the update time yet…perhaps the usual (meaning that even I have no idea when I'll be able to get the story out) ^-^'

Everyone! I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your seven months of support!


	15. Side Chapter: Silver Lantern

I stared through the thin glass as youkais and ayakashi dominated the street. I took a sip at the pipe before blowing out a breath of smoke. A couple of winged youkai flew by me and into the night.

"Sure is lively." I told myself as I glanced up to the moon handing within the sea of stars.

_"Tourou Nagashi?" I tore my gaze from my cup of sake to my Hyakki Yakou at the doorway to my room. _

_"That's right Rikuo-sama." Tsurara sang as she clapped her hands together happily. _

_"Every year the village Shiki celebrates Tourou Nagashi. It's one of the largest festivals around. I heard if you really wish for something, it'll come true!" _

"Any wishes…?" I thought for a moment before remembering those feathers that drifted into the chilled night.

"Rikuo-sama." I heard a voice called as I turned to see a Rokurokubi sliding open the screen door.

"Rikuo-sama, I've brought you the kimono." She said as she carefully placed the neatly folded kimono onto the tatami.

"The lanterns." I began, stopping her just when she was about to excuse herself. "Do you know where can I buy it?"

"Yes. Chouchinobake-san sells them at his stand in the third district."

The Rokurokubi replied as I placed the pipe down and leaped off the windowsill. "Rikuo-sama, wouldn't you like a bath first?" At her question, I glanced back to the private hot spring that is connected to my room. "I already did. Bring more sake to my room later." I said, entering the hallway and exited the bathhouse.

I stared at the crowded street.

"Third District." I muttered as I remembered Tsurara saying something about it as well. "Hey! The young man over there!" A voice called as I glanced to my left to see an umbrella stand by a Kasa-obake*.

"How about an umbrella? These ones just I've just made today! You look like a fine young man so I'll give you a discount!" The Kasa-obake said as I walked up to his stand and glanced around the umbrellas.

"It looks like it'll be a clear sky through the next couple of nights." I told him, picking an umbrella and opened it to check the quality. "Do you get business often?"

"My umbrella doesn't only block rain. It can block the sun as well." The Kasa-okabe said as he grabbed one of his umbrellas and opened it to reveal the flowery pattern printed over it.

"It's a popular trend right now with female youkai. How about it young man? It's a perfect gift for your lover."

I stared at the umbrella in my hand as I held it over my head. "I'll take this one." I told him as I reached into my sleeve and pulled out some money.

"That one's too plain. There's a pattern for male as well." The Kasa-obake told me, but I just closed my umbrella and examined the silvery colour. The colour that is identical to those silver pools that still burns vividly within my mind.

"Silver is fine." I told him and placed the money onto the counter.

"Thank you for your patronage! Enjoy the festival!"

Just when I turned around, I quickly leaned sideways to avoid bumping into a passing ayakashi.

"Damn that woman!" I heard the ayakashi cursed just as he passed by me. I glanced back curiously and watched him stomping down the street."When I find her I'll tear those wings out of her back!" He screamed as his companion tried to calm him down.

Remembering what I had came out for, I turned back to my path and counted my way to third district. After a while of walk, I finally arrived and spotted the Chouchinobake the Rokurokubi told me of.

"One lantern." I said as I stopped before the lantern stand.

"Pick any you like," said the Chouchinobake, but the lanterns were all identical.

"The furthest one to the left." I randomly chose one, pulling out some money and exchanged it for the lantern.

"Would you like to write down your wish, youkai-sama?" The Chouchinobake asked as he held out a paintbrush towards me.

"I haven't thought of a wish yet. Maybe later." I told him and walked away with my new lantern. "Wish…" I glanced down at the lantern before to the full moon hung over my head.

A wish…

I glanced to the silver umbrella I bought, then back to the sky. However, I couldn't think of one.

Something like a wish…perhaps my daytime self is more familiar with.

"Rikuo-sama!" I heard Tsurara's voice called out to me once I arrived at the main entrance of the Rokurokubi's bathhouse. "Rikuo-sama, are you going to make a wish?" She asked, seeming extremely excited as she noticed at the lantern in my hand.

"Don't know. I haven't thought of a wish yet."

"O-Oh, really?"

"Why are you disappointed?" I asked when I noticed the frown over her face.

"Then Rikuo-sama! How do you like it here?" She suddenly asked as I gave her a long stare, wondering what's with her changing behavior.

"It's alri–" I was about to say when a glitter of silver light caught my eyes. I quickly turned to the basket Tsurara held in her hand which contained a towel, shampoo and a bar of soap.

"R-Rikuo-sama?" Tsurara gasped as I quickly pulled her towel away. A large white feather was shook off from the towel and fluttered by my eyes. It drifted gently down the air and landed back into Tsurara's basket.

"This feather…" I murmured as I gently held it up by the quill. "Tsurara. Where did you find this feather?" I asked as Tsurara flinched. Without realizing, I had raised my voice.

"The hot spring…I found t between some rocks– Rikuo-sama? Where are you going?" Tsurara's voice faded behind me as I melted into the crowd. I summoned Hebi Nyoro*, leaping onto its head as we soared into the sky. I glanced around the youkai in the air before turning to the ground.

"This feather…" I whispered as I glanced down to the feather in my hand.

There's no mistake…

It's _her_ feather.

"Miu."

The night gradually falls as the sky prepared to welcome dawn.

I stared from the roof of the bathhouse as the shops begin to close and youkai retiring to their resting place. I glanced down to the feather in my hand.

In the end, I couldn't find her.

Whether it was day or night, I couldn't catch a glimpse at the wings of any Doji.

The night of Tourou Nagashi came once the last bit of sunlight disappeared behind the mountains. I went together with my Hakki Yakou and arrived at the crowded bank of the lake. Various youkais and ayakashis gathered around as they lit their lanterns and set it off into the water.

"Rikuo-sama! Have you written your wish yet?" Tsurara's voice shouted. I parted my lips, about to reply when I glanced back to see youkais crowding my view. "Where did they go?" I muttered, glancing around but was unable to find anyone from the Nura clan.

Then sudden, I felt something bumping into my leg.

"Sorry." A voice called as I glanced down to see a pair of Kawa-uso. I watched as they walked around me, each holding a lantern.

"This is too crowded." I told myself, bending down to dodge the tongue of a passing Akaname*. I squeezed myself through the sea of crowd. Once I was out into the opening, I rode on Hebi Nyoro and flew to the center of the lake, into the boarder between light and dark.

I drifted over the surface of the water as I watched the specks of light approaching from afar.

I held up my lantern and stared at Miu's feather I had glued upon it.

_"If you can find me then I will submit to you."_

"I don't need a wish." I spoke to the feather before setting it down into the water. I pulled out a match and lit the candle inside. My lantern glowed in yellowish light as Miu's feather sparkled radiantly. I brushed my toe over the wooden surface of the lantern. With a gentle kick, my lantern began drifting away from its kind.

I lied down upon Hebi Nyoro and gazed into the night.

I fell into a light slumber under the moon's soft ray. By the time I opened my eyes, I found myself surrounded by stars. I turned my head to hundreds of lantern that were drifting by me. I reached out my hand for the closet one, turning it around to reveal the wish printed in ink.

**_FIND THE DAMN THIEF AND GET MY MONEY BACK!_**

I stared at the roughness of the stroke and the careless holes over the rice paper. A chuckle forced through my sealed lip before I gave a gentle nudge for it to catch up to its comrade.

Judging from the roughness displayed upon it, whoever wrote it must have been furious. I made a pause in my thought I remembered back to the ayakashi I met some nights ago.

At the thought, my gaze softened.

My hand brushed by the silver umbrella resting on my lap. I pulled the umbrella into my hand and stared at it, wondering why I had brought it along. Bored of the slow passing time, I opened my umbrella and set it onto the water together with the lanterns.

I watched as the umbrella began to twirl, pushed by the force of the water as well as the passing lanterns.

The silver upon the umbrella sparkled in reaction to the lights shrouding it, but the radiance of the light was no match for Miu's feather. I slowly looked off towards the abyss, about to lay down again when I saw a speck of light from afar.

I sat up, glancing around the sea of lanterns before turning back to the lone one.

It was strangely moving in a direction opposite to the rest.

I watched as the lantern grew closer, going into a path different than the rest of its kind. My eyes scanned around the dark shadows on the other side of the lake, but couldn't spot any form of life.

The lantern grew closer and closer, squeezing pass the rest and was coming closer towards me. When it was about to collide against Hebi Nyoro, I reached out and hooked my finger against the string. I pulled the lantern from the water, careful as to not tip the candle out of balance.

I glanced back to the other side of the lake. A gentle breeze came from the darkness, gently caressing the lantern as it slowly turned, revealing the wish written upon it.

"This is…!"

* * *

Kasa-obake – Umbrella ghost

Hebi Nyoro – Servant used for Rikuo's scroll

Akaname – the spirit who licks the untidy bathroom.


	16. Epilogue

**"RIREN*!"**

I slowly glanced up with bored gaze at the grey haired old man standing within the sideline of observers.

Fujita-sensei, as always, has veins popping from his face. Most likely due to age.

"…What?" I asked and watched in amusement as the veins on his face became more visible.

He stepped up, as though trying to intimidate me by towering over me. Someone needs to tell him that it only makes him look stupider.

"How many times did I told you no fighting in school?" I casually glanced back at the half conscious brats scattered behind me. Having no interest in anything that old man has to say, I gave one of the body a rough kick.

"Riren! You get over here right now!" Fujita-sensei snapped. I felt a hand roughly grabbed my wrist. As I was dragged back into the school, I caught a glimpse of shadow passing over my head. I glanced up, my eyes shifted in time to catch two furred tails disappearing behind a roof.

_Thus starts a new day of my life. _

_Nura Riren, fourteen years old. I'm a hanyo* with half human blood, one sixth Nurarihyon and one third Doji._

_Although hate being involved in troublesome matter...I was forced into a human school against my will. _

"This is the third time this month!" The principal continued rambling on with Fujita-sensei standing behind him. I held back the urge to beat smug smirk off his old wrinkled face. If only there isn't bystander, I would have beaten him up long ago.

Perhaps I could stalk him when he goes home and trash up his place.

"If you don't want to be expel you better–"

"_Expel_?" A soft woman's voice suddenly cuts in as. I restrained myself to shiver at the chill that crawled down my spine. I quickly dropped my gaze.

_'That dumb cat…'_ I cursed in my mind at the memory of those tails.

"Nura-san!" The principal gasped as he quickly stood up. "What brings you here?" The face that once was plastered with anger has turned into a wide smile. Even Fujita-sensei who was so hyped up on watching me getting scold had his attention diverted.

I unwillingly turned to the doorway.

My eyes drifted across the room and laded upon a pale woman with long white hair and silver eyes. She walked up to the principal's desk, her silver blue kimono fluttered within the windless void. With soft soothing voice, she said, "pardon my intrusion."

"No, no, not at all. What brings you here?" The principal extended a hand as though asking for a shake. I don't even know why he even thinks it's not awkward suddenly asking for a shake like that.

The woman smiled, but made no attempt to take his hand. "I came to pick Riren up but heard that he's been called here." Her gaze then softened, almost in a sorrowful way. "By expel…?" Her voice trailed off.

Seeing where the topic is heading, the principal quickly shook his head. "No, no! I was just kidding!" He lied as his fat hand made of blubber ruffled my hair. "I couldn't expel such fine young man." He gave out a laugh as the woman smiled.

"Oh, I see." She said in relief before glancing to me. "Riren," in a split second, I caught her smile morphed into a dark, threatening smirk, "don't cause trouble for your _kind_ principal." I swallowed hard as a drop of cold sweat rolled down my back. By the time the woman looked back, she had on nothing but that pure smile again.

The principal and Fujita-sensei stupidly smiled back. For them who kept eyeing her, it's amazing how they failed to catch a glimpse of this woman's real nature.

"Nura-san, if you would like to discuss about Riren's education…"

I rolled my eyes.

I've heard it so many times that I've even memorized the dialogue in my dreams. Apparently they never thought it was strange how she would always show up at such perfect timing.

"Perhaps dinner–"

"Miu."

A voice interrupted. I glanced back to the doorway. This time, it was a tall man. The upper pair of his hair was in light brought and the bottom, as though casted by shadow, was in darker shades. Like the woman, he too wore traditional Japanese clothing. When he walked, the sound of his wooden sandals clattering against the marble floor could be heard.

At the sight of his usual appearance at the exact right time, the principal's head dropped…

_My father, Nura Rikuo, is the Third Supreme Commander of the Nura Clan. _

_My mother, Miu, is the wife of that Third Supreme Commander, famed for her beauty that even caught the interest of the Dark Lord Mouyou. Or…that's what those who don't know her believed. _

_They were all fooled by her delicate appearance._

_Although seemingly perfect…this woman…_

"What was that, Riren?" Mother said with a wide smile as I winced at her fingers that were pinching my cheek.

"Ugh hurghs (It hurts)…" I mumbled again.

"Speak clearly, Riren." Mother said in that innocent tone as I winced at the increasing pain.

_…has a terrible personality flaw. _

"Miu, that's enough. Shouldn't we hear out Riren's reason first?" Father interrupted as I felt those fingers released me. I rubbed my cheek, swearing that it'll turn into a bruise by the time we return.

"Beating up six boys in the school ground and nearly getting himself expelled," mother snapped as her eyes hardened into a cold glare, "what reason would he have?"

"They called me an albino." I replied. I could still feel my chest boil at the memory. Just because of my white hair and crimson eyes, they randomly tagged me into some different species.

A gentle was placed upon my head. Unlike the hand of that fat pig's, this one felt warm and comfortable. Most of all, I don't feel nauseous at the touch. "There's no reason to be angry over it. You know that it's not true," said father. I slowly gaze up to him only to catch his smile turning into a frown.

"…Miu?" Father whispered as I felt the warmth leaving my head. I quickly turned, realizing for the first time the sweats that were staining mother's pale skin.

_They have a long complicated history with each other, so I was told. But the only impression I have much of what they did was only through stories told by today's youkai. _

_They are– or **were** close._

"Don't touch me." Mother hissed before I heard the sound of slap ringing through the air. Father withdrew his reddened hand as mother tumbled and fell against a lamppost. Her usual elegance shattered. I could hear her heavy breaths, coming out heavily with hints of pain.

I stared at her legs that were beginning to tremble; drained of strength.

_Mother always had problem walking. _

_Though I don't know the reason, I heard she wasn't able to move her legs at all in the past. As time progressed, her legs began to improve. But even so, she could only walk a maximum of an hour before she needs to sit down and rest._

"Miu." Father whispered softly as he crouched down beside her. They began whispering something to each other…and from the look on mother's face, there's most likely an argument going on.

When father spoke something beside her ear, mother's gaze snapped towards my direction. Her silver eyes then softened as father gently took her hand. This time, mother didn't resist. With a pull, father gathered her into his arm before glancing back to me.

"Let's go, Riren." He called, smiling as though nothing had happened.

_Everything happened one month ago when they gotten into their first fight. _

_It wasn't some heavy argument between human's average married couple. _

_It was literally a fight. _

_A one sided fight on mother's side. _

_Father was always one to wonder away during the night. Mother knew that. It was in his blood so she never complained about that habit of his. He would always return at dawn. _

_But about a month ago, father's usual routine came to an end._

_He disappeared for a week straight. The entire clan tried looking for him, but no one was able to find where he was. _

_Doji are creatures extremely sensitive to air. _

_Carrying a third of Doji's blood myself, I knew that well. I was often forced to be obvious to other people's presence, able to tell people apart just from the flow f the air around their bodies. _

_As pure Doji, mother's natural instinct was beyond my own. _

_When father returned for the first of his long absence, the air around him was heavier than usual. Almost as though a chemical substance had attached itself to him and weighed heavily around his board shoulders. It was the same type of feeling you would get from a woman abusing her perfume._

_When mother realized that, she asked where he went but father told a lie of going out drinking with his companions. _

_The first lie he ever spoke to her._

_This repeated for days. _

_Every time when he returned; the same heavy air was attached to him like poison. _

_On the edge of her patience, mother asked father the same question she would ask every time he returns. But father would always make up excuses, sometimes even evading her questions._

_Mother brought out our house cat and forced him to reveal the strange air around father. _

_Just as she suspected, the substance she felt was definitely a woman's perfume. _

_For the first in my memory, mother struck father beneath a moonless night. I sat on the roof of the neighbor with the old man (great grandfather) as a hurricane blew over the sky, hitting only the Nura manor._

The next day passed…and the day after. But nothing has changed.

"You're being cold, Riren!" Watanabe Hana complained as I twitched at how she called me so familiarly.

"Leave me alone." I snapped, feeling my irritation increasing by the seconds. I don't know why I have to put up with this…for all I know (or care); we're complete strangers who only happened to be classmates and our parents being old friends.

"Say Riren, did you finish your bibliography yet? It's due in three days."

I sighed out impatiently. "Stop following me."

"I'm not. My house is this way as well."

"Then go your way." I snapped and quickly made a dash around the corner. "Riren?" Her annoying voice shouted behind me. I soared into the air, lifted by a heavy gust of wind as I landed upon a branch. I concealed myself within the leaves and watched as the stupid girl rushed down the street searching for me.

"_My house is this way as well,_" I imitated Hana's line, "what a joke."

"Popular with girls aren't you, Riren?" I heard a snicker and looked up to find a large tiger sized cat with split tail resting upon the branch above me.

"Oh," I mumbled as my gaze dulled, "it's you, Tama."

Upon hearing the name, the cat's ears twitched in annoyance. "It's Yama." He corrected me in a tired tone that sounded as though he doesn't want to bother with it anymore. "Anyways, if you don't go home, everyone will be worried." With that said; he wrapped his tails around me and lifted me onto his back.

"…What's that?" The cat asked in curiosity when he caught the sound of me pulling out my notebook from my backpack. "Homework. I'm supposed to write a bibliography of my family." I pulled out a pencil and flipped the book open.

"You're doing your homework now?" Tama asked in amazement, his eyes rounded.

"If I don't that bastard will call my parent (mother) for real." I growled. Somehow, my instinct was telling me that this bibliography has something to do with mother as well. After all, who heard of doing a bibliography of your family?

At my reply, Tama's ears flattened almost in disappointment.

"Oh…of course…" He mumbled.

With a sigh, he leaped onto a utility pole and began running down the power line at a speed invisible to human's naked eyes.

I lied with my back against him.

The razor wind slammed against me, but to my skin, it only feels like massage.

"We're back!" Tama declared our return. I didn't even get a change to write a single word as we arrived at the gate of the Nura household.

"Welcome back, Riren." I sat up and found myself staring at father who was waiting beside the entrance.

"I'm back." I quickly greeted and pulled myself off Tama's back. I slowly ran my eyes around father, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

"What's wrong, Riren?" Hearing father's voice, I quickly shook my head.

"Nothing." I replied. "Are you going somewhere, father?"

"I'm just going out for a moment. I'll be back before midnight." Father replied as walked by me. The minute his back was revealed to my eyes, I nearly gapped. Though father looked completely fine, the back of his kimono was pretty much scratched with white dust and tiny bits of cement attached to the fabric.

"Out again?" Tama asked, but only earned a scratch behind his ear as reply. Then without another word, father disappeared down the street. I stared at where father disappeared before quickly running into the manor.

"Riren? Where are you going?" Tama shouted behind me, but I didn't stop.

I ran around the house.

I made a sharp turn around the corner, arriving at the garden of where the lone sakura tree stood. The first thing that caught my attention was the broken shojis to father's and mother's room. The far side of the wall directly across from their room was smashed.

_'So that's it…'_ I thought silently to myself. The colour of the dust on father's back seemed to match quite well with the wall.

"Riren, what are you– what is this?" Tama whispered as he came up behind me.

"Riren-sama! You're back."

I turned to see Tsurara coming towards us with a broom in her hand.

"What happened here?" At my question, Tsurara flinched.

"E-eh? W-well…" She shuttered softly before her eyes slowly trailed away from me. I sighed, waving my hand to indicate how she doesn't need to answer. I knew myself that my question was a rhetorical one.

"Riren." Hearing mother's voice, I gazed up to see her coming out of her room as she stepped over the broken shojis.

I nearly flinched upon her presence.

Mother…she was completely messed up.

"Miu-san!" Tama shouted, immediately becoming energetic. He dashed around me and cuddled up to her.

My eyes never left mother. Although she appeared as usual, the air around her was giving off a threatening pressure.

It was the first time I've seen mother angry like this.

Mother leaned her weight against Tama as she took the broom off Tsurara's hand. "Thanks." Mother said softly before glancing to the damage she was most likely responsible for.

"Are you sure you don't need help?" Tsurara asked, seeming quite concern about mother's welfare which was quite rare. Normally, Tsurara would look at mother as though she stole her lover or something.

"There's no need," mother replied.

There was a sigh in her sentence.

She definitely sighed somewhere within that sentence.

"But–"

"You can if you want," a smile crossed mother's lips, "but there'll be consequences if you do."

I flinched at the increasing pressure emitting from mother.

"Tsurara." I said as I turned to the dumbfounded yuki onna. She's been petrified by the darkness of that smile. I hid my hands behind my head and pointed my finger towards her. A blast of wind shot from the tip of my nail and lightly hit the side of her head.

"Ah!" Tsurara gasped in surprised as her hand flew to her head.

"Stop spacing around. Kubinashi is looking for you."

"Kubinashi?" Tsurara said in confusion. Growing impatient with her denseness of unable to read the atmosphere, I secretly waved my hand. Tsurara's kimono fluttered slightly as a twirl of wind blew around her.

"Go." I mumbled as the wind dragged her down the hall.

"W-wait– Kyaaa!" Tsurara's voice faded as she disappeared around the corner and out of our sight.

"Ah…she ran." Tama laughed. Unlike mother who was staring at me, Tama was completely oblivious to the invisible force that had pulled her away. "Miu-san, you didn't have to tease her that far." Tama said as mother sat down upon him for rest. I sighed and raised my hand to cover my ears.

"Tama," I watched uninterestedly as mother grabbed Tama's tails, "do I look like someone who speaks jokes to you?" With a tug, a sharp scream erupted into the air.

"This is ridiculous." I mumbled and hurried away before mother's mood become even worst. Before I leave the garden, I glanced over my shoulder. I took a last glance at the cracked cement within the wall, then to the broom resting in mother's hands.

_Every time mother damaged something, she would stubbornly fix everything herself._

_It's her policy._

_She wouldn't allow anyone to help. She made that clear to all member of the Nura clan, including me. _

_Normally she would just use empty threats…but the air around her when she was speaking to Tsurara…_

_If Tsurara had pushed on like that, mother might seriously…_

I gazed out to the darkness of the night through my open window.

"Riren, you're still writing?" Tama yawned softly as the fur I was leaning against moved. "You've been scribbling on that note ever since you came back."

"It's not like I need to sleep." I replied flatly. Thanks to the youkai blood in my body, my body doesn't require much sleep. I only needed a short nap during Fujita-sensei's lessons to recharge.

"How's mother?"

"As usual, Miu-san's trying to waste time by sleeping." Tama sigh. "Probably on the sakura tree again."

I pushed my note aside and climbed onto my feet. The chilling air seeped through my skin and caressed my bones. Staying with Tama the entire night had made me become oblivious to the actual temperature of the air.

"Riren, where are you going?"

"Nowhere." I replied and closed the shojis behind me.

I silently headed for the garden.

Just as Tama had guessed, mother was indeed sleeping upon a branch of the sakura tree. I stared at her before feeling the cool air of the night blowing by. I glanced around, my eyes staring from the perfectly fixed shoji to the wall which the cracks had been filled.

A blanket, I thought as I turned to the entrance of my parent's room. Just when I grasped the shoji, I felt another breeze brushed against my skin.

This breeze was different.

I could feel the air behind me suddenly changed.

I looked back towards the sakura tree.

There father was, holding mother carefully in his arms with a blanket wrapped around her as she peacefully slept. Noticing my gaze, father's crimson eyes slowly shifted towards me. A faint smile spread upon his lips as he gently removed a hand from mother.

He held up his index finger and placed it over his lips.

Getting the message, I turned my attention away and began to walk off. I held myself back as to not take another glance at them.

But I was curious.

If father loved mother so much, then what was that perfume scent? Why does he still go out knowing it would make mother uneasy?

"You look like you got slapped in the face." Tama spoke the minute I returned into my room. "Hey Tama." Tama's ears twitched at his forcefully changed name.

"The perfume scent on father…is it really the scent of another woman's?"

At my question, Tama glanced to me. He seemed hesitant in replying.

I reached out my hand and grabbed one of his furred ears. With a tug, Tama fell to the floor with a yelp. "I have the right to know." I urged him on, not letting him a chance to refuse or find an excuse to escape.

"Okay, okay! Stop it! It's going to fall!" Tama shouted as he finally pulled himself away from my grasp. He rubbed his ear with his paw and.

"…It's…a woman's. A youkai's." Tama replied softly. His ears were constantly twitching as though he's trying to make sure it's still attached. "Miu-san asked the same question."

"And you told her that?"

"You aren't giving me much of a choice either." He waved his tails, reminding me of mother's favorite place to tug whenever punishing him.

I flopped down onto the tatami and buried my face into Tama's fur coat.

Another woman…

My face tightened in disgust at the thought.

_When day break, father quickly left before mother wakes. _

_I sat on a lamppost outside the manor. I waited for minutes, hours, until I saw father coming out of the house. My eyes were glued upon him like a hawk's as he passed by beneath me. I silently leaped down and trailed after him. Although I knew it was wrong, I followed after him anyways. _

_I wanted to know…exactly what he was hiding from us._

"Rikuo-kun!"

I jumped at the sound of that familiar voice. I slowly peeked from around the corner to find Hana's mother running across the street to greet father. In her hand was a bag of groceries, meaning she must have returned from shopping.

"It's been a while, Kana-chan." Father greeted as I stared at that woman.

Was it her? The owner of the perfume?

I squinted my eyes for a closer look. Then again, the atmosphere around her felt natural…so she shouldn't have used any of those human's chemical.

Even so, when I saw the happy look across that woman's face, I felt my irritation compressed within my chest. The only smile mother had on recently had been all empty…yet that woman's…

My fingers spread out as a miniature cyclone formed within the palm of my hand.

So he can make other woman laugh…but not his own wife.

A frown tugged on my lips as the muscles in my arm tensed. I slowly took a step forward and raised my arm.

"Riren, what are you doing?" I froze at the voice that just spoke beside my ears.

I stared at the scene before me…

Nothing had changed.

The sparrows were still pecking at the ground…

Hana's mother was still there laughing…

But father…wasn't in that scene. I didn't blink, but my mind couldn't figure out since when did he disappeared from my sight.

It was then when I felt it…the warmth grasping my wrist. The wind in my palm disbursed. I slowly turned. "…Father." I whispered softly as I stared into those brown eyes.

"Rikuo-kun?" Hana's mother called, seeming to finally realize how father was no longer before her.

"Come, Riren." Father whispered softy, releasing me as he turned to walk away.

I peeked over the corner to the woman who was still searching for father, oblivious to our presences. "Riren." Hearing father's call, I tore my gaze away and quickly followed after him.

"Riren." Father spoke, making a turn into an alley as I quickly pull myself to a stop to prevent myself from walking into him. "What have I told you about attacking human?" Father said in a displeased tone as I frowned. He's angry, as expected. "What were you doing? That's Hana's mother," he added. At the mention of the word _mother_, my gaze narrowed.

"Then what about _my _mother?" I asked. "You care about someone else's mother and not mine?" Father slowly turned, his gaze captured mine.

Despite the pressure I felt, I didn't look away. I didn't do anything wrong. There was no reason for me to avoid anything.

Pulling away from out staring contest, father heaved out a soft sigh. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"Come with me, Riren."

_That was the last sentence we exchanged._

_For the rest of the day, we didn't speak again. Whether it was walking through the town or eating, we didn't exchange a single word. We traveled by foot and through human's transportation during the day to a far away mountain. When night came, I sat on the tail of father's Hebi Nyoro and flew the rest of the way. _

I walked around a tree, my eyes darting through the forest before catching father's figure that was slowly melting into the shadows. I quickly picked up my pace. I ran through the forest, and chased after the silhouette of father.

I dash out of the forest to be embraced by the soft moonlight. I stared at the clearing before me. There was a lake. Though it wasn't big, I could tell the water was clear. Even through this distance, I could see through the transparent water to the bottom.

There were no human waste, no random footprints crushing the innocent greens. The air was clean from human's pollution.

I glanced back to the darkness of the forest behind me.

There wasn't any way a place like this wouldn't be discovered by human…

"Riren." I quickly snapped out and glanced towards a lone tree beside the lake to see father kneeling against the soft blades of grass. He waved his hand at my direction. I glanced around the clearing before I slowly moved over to him. When I peered over father's shoulder to see what he was doing, I found myself staring at a plant.

It was a plant about my arm's length with purple blue buds that looked as though it will be ready to blossom when sun rises.

"This is…?"

"Kurinji." Father replied. He dipped his hand into the lake and scooped up a handful of clear water. I watched silently as he carefully sprinkled the water at the base of the flower. "It's a flower that blooms once every twelve years."

I stared.

A flower with a twelve year cycle?

It was then when realization hit me. I quickly straighten myself and glanced around the area before turning back to the flower.

"Then…the reason you keep disappearing…was it for this?"

Father didn't reply. His crimson eyes were fixed upon the flower as his fingers gently caressed the leaves.

"Is this for mother?"

"In three days it will be the day when your mother and I first met." Father replied after a moment of silence. A smirk slid upon his lips as he pulled himself away from the flower. "So keep this a secret from her."

So that's what it was.

Father…always had mother's best interest in mind.

I stared at father before looking down to the flower. "Three days?" No matter how I look at it, this flower will bloom once the sunlight seeped into the forest. Then suddenly, a loud yawning sound disturbed the peace. A couple of leaves rained down upon me. I flinched, quickly looking up to see the tree beside the Kurinji beginning to shake.

A ring of wind twirled around my hand as my fear began to shroud around me. Just before I was able to melt into the darkness, father's hand suddenly cut into my sight. Another fear cut through mine, forcing my concentration to break as the wind faded from my hand.

"Rikuo-chan!" A screech of a woman's nearly pierced through my eardrum. My eyes widened as the tree slowly began to morph into the shape of woman. The bark upon the tree grew lighter, the texture softening. The leaves on the tree came down like a long curtain of hair, wrapping around the body to form a short dress.

A pair of emerald eyes opened.

The figure stood still for a couple of seconds before it slowly moved and stretched its arms.

"Rikuo-chan! I thought you wouldn't come!" The youkai laughed before pouncing onto father.

Morphed from a tree and carrying long upper fangs…it's a Jubokko*.

The bone in my knuckle crackled as I dug my heel into the ground. My fear emitted from my hand again and began to morph with the surrounding air. I slashed my hand through the air and sent out a blast of concentrated wind. Seeing my attack, the Jubokko yelped. She pulled away from father and ungracefully ducked.

When the air calmed, a couple strand of the Jubokko's _hair_ fell onto the soft blades of grass.

"Kya!" The Jubokko screamed as she examined her hair. "What did you do that for you brat?"

The Jubokko hissed to show off her long upper fangs hidden behind her lips. At the Jubokko's anger, father quickly stepped in between us. "Riren." Father spoke my name in a tone that was telling me to behave.

"I let you into my territory, gave you one of my precious Kurinji, spent my past month keeping that flower asleep, and this is the payment I get, Rikuo-chan?"The woman screamed and pouted, trashing around like a five years old.

"My son is a little playful. He didn't mean that, Masaki*." Father said calmly as I peered around him to catch the Jubokko's glare.

I glared back.

A heavy pressure was wrapped around her, so visible that I couldn't help but become conscious of it. I covered my nose, able to smell that heavy perfume that have already ruined father's kimono.

So she's the one.

"What? If you got something to say, say it." The Jubokko snapped. I dully glanced to her direction.

"You stink. Don't come near me."

"What did you–!"

"I told you to cut down on those perfume." Father agreed with me.

"Watch it! Jinmenju-sama* happens to like this scent!"

I stared at the Jubokko, then to the flower father cared for. _'So that's it…'_ I thought to myself.

Everything makes sense now.

_"Did you know how much energy I spent keeping that flower asleep for the past month?"_

That flower wasn't supposed to bloom tomorrow…it was supposed to bloom long before that. That's why father asked this woman to keep this flower from blooming. A Jubokko is the only one capable of pulling that off, for that they steal life and can produce life. Making a plant undergo a sleeping stage wouldn't be a surprise.

From the looks, this place is also her territory, which would also explain how the environment could remain so pure.

"For every single day I wasted looking after this flower, I could have gone out on a date with Jinmenju-sama!"

I gazed to the noisy woman, then to father who seemed uninterested in her endless complains.

He came everyday just for something like this. Lying to mother even knowing that it would hurt her…

All for the sake of that day where he could present those flower to her and surprise her.

I a faint smile swept across my lips.

I can't imagine it…how mother's angry face would look after she sees that flower.

_'He could have just told her.'_ I found it stupid at the memory of that cracked wall and the hurricane that nearly tore the manor apart. But then again…if he told her, then those flowers would be meaningless.

_My parents…are hard to understand after all. _

"**RIREN!"**

_What is this annoying déjà-vu_, I wondered as I stood before Fujita-sensei's desk at the front of the class.

"What is this, Riren?" He slapped a notebook onto the wooden desk with my name printed on the cover page in lead.

"Bibliography assignment." I replied plainly. His brain must have regressed if he can't tell that much.

"Yes. It's a bibliography about your family! Not making a fantasy out of them!" He flipped opened my notebook. "If your father is the Supreme Commander of some youkais then I'm the king!" He snapped as I heard the sounds of giggles behind me.

"Then you aren't going to live long on that filthy throne." I said casually, causing the laughter behind me to rise by ten notches.

**"RIREN! GO STAND IN THE HALL!" **

The door slammed shut behind me, but the laughter didn't die. I sat onto the cement ground. Since class was in session, the hallway was freed of humans.

"You're a magnet for trouble."

I glanced up to the window before me. There it was; the oversized fat cat lying lazily on the windowsill. His tails swayed at the edge, his body tensed as though prepared to dash at the slightest bit of noise.

"Mind your own business."

"Looking after you is my business." Tama replied. A smile turned upon his muzzle. "Shall I tell Miu-san?"

I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. A gentle breeze came through the open window and swirled around me.

"Do you want to keep those ears?"

"Calm down. I was just kidding," Tama laughed, "Miu-san finally got into a good mood after so long. I'm not going to spoil it."

The muscles in my body relaxed at the news.

"Mother's in a good mood…?"

"Yeah." Tama replied. "About an hour after your school started, she seemed strangely happy."

The wind around me gently faded down the hall, creating a soft rhythmic melody.

So mother's in a good mood? My lips twitched and turned into a smile at the thought.

"What are you smiling for?" Tama asked suspiciously before his ears perked up. His tails froze within the air and his irises grew into a complete circle. "You know why Miu-san's in a good mood?" I smirked at his question.

"Like I'd know."

"You do know something. Tell me!"

"I said I don't know."

"Then what are you smiling for?"

"At your stupid face."

There's no way I'd tell. Not to him, not to anyone.

"Hey–…? Where are you going? You still have class!"

"It's not like I'll be attending, no point staying here."

"Get back here! And about Miu-san–…!"

"I. Don't. Know."

**"RIREN!" **

* * *

Riren – _Ri_ means _clever_ and _ren_ means _lotus_

Hanyo – half demon

Jubokko – a vampire tree.

Masaki – means _great timber__tree_

Jinmenju – a tree with human-faced fruits.


End file.
